


Danganronpa: Island Life

by FastRedDragon



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Cross-Posted on Wattpad, F/M, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2020-10-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 15:49:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 36
Words: 59,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26990131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FastRedDragon/pseuds/FastRedDragon
Summary: Chapters 1-25 were originally made by K3Y-TP (with minor changes & fixes) misspelt words, missing letters & some titles of chapters. the story is now connected to the Danganronpa anime & game timeline. chapters 26-36 were made by yours truly. I'll add more summaries while you progress through the story.
Relationships: Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu/Peko Pekoyama, Hajime Hinata/Akane Owari, Slight Gundham Tanaka/Sonia Nevermind
Kudos: 7





	1. STUCK

**Author's Note:**

> I first saw this story in April 2018, I loved it so much I decided to spend 3 months writing it down by hand, I wanted a family member to read it too and they also loved it. but they didn't like how it ended, honestly neither did I. It felt like a cliff hanger. so I decided to try and get in touch with the original author of this story in December 2019, K3Y-TP. seeing if we could make a part 2 to the story, but they never responded. I used a certain way to convince them (I say them because I don't know their gender.) "You made Infinity War, lets make Endgame together". while I waited for their response, I decided to spend another 3 months writing the story down AGAIN. I never heard from them so I made part 2 on my own. I did my best to continue their story, hopefully they like it and I hope you like it. by the way; I'm not taking credit for their story, but chapters 26-36 are all me.

"what's bothering you?" 

"Fuyuhiko?" 

"It's only been one day. I'm just wondering what could've happened to send you falling into this rut you're in". 

'I'm in a rut?' Hajime thought to himself. He took a second to search his head for an answer. His body shifted atop the warm sands of the beach as he adjusted his comfortable laying position. The sky was void of open space; beautiful white clouds were all he could see as he stared up. "I don't know, to be honest... I don't even think I'm in a rut, so to speak. I guess... I'm just hung up on everything we all went through". 

"you too, eh. Well I can't tell you how to get through that. But I can tell you we're all in the same boat. Hell, Kazuichi spends as much time as he can trying to see if he can wake up the others, Sonia's on standby and Akane trains a thousand times more than we ever saw in the virtual world. And I... I can't get her out of my head".

Hajime sat up slowly as a calm silence surrounded the two of them. He glanced up at Fuyuhiko, whom smirked as he offered his hand. He returned the expression with a smile, taking his hand after. They now stood side to side, looking out at the tide rolling in.

"I think I'll be okay", Fuyuhiko started. "But you clearly need something to get your mind off of things".

"Sounds like you have something in mind". Hajime raised an eyebrow and turned to his friend. He wasn't desperate for an idea, but it had piqued his curiosity. Fuyuhiko smirked again, chuckling to himself as he thought about what he was about to say.

"Well I just figured... maybe, pursuing one of the girls might take your mind off of things".

"What!? T-then the same thing could work for you!"

"Hey, don't fuck with me." he laughed at Hajime's reaction. "even you should know there's only one girl for me".

"Ahh..."

"You're thinking about it too hard. You either go for it or not. And what is there to think about anyway? There are only two girls on this island. I'm not looking for a relationship, so that just leaves you and Kazuichi. Two girls, two guys".

"Kazuichi's liked Sonia for a while now, so I guess that just leaves Akane".

"See, you're getting somewhere".

"W-wait! That's not what I meant..."

"Well whatever, I won't pressure you".

"Heyyyy! Wait for meeee!" Hajime and Fuyuhiko turned around after hearing Kazuichi's voice behind them. Ahead, they could see Akane charging towards them with Sonia riding on her shoulders, pointing ahead as if leading a charge. On their trail was Kazuichi, struggling to keep up. The two girls reached them for ahead of Kazuichi, who had slowed from a run to a light jog, when he finally arrived, he looked extremely exhausted. "Akane... runs... like a demon".

"Nah, I'm pretty sure you're just out of shape". Fuyuhiko commented, earning a laboured laugh from Kazuichi.

"Alright Sonia, pay up!" Akane said aloud as she did a set of stretches. Per her request, Sonia produced from her skirt pocket, a small slip of paper.

"I'm guessing that's your bargain for a ride here?" Hajime asked.

"Indeed, it is. It's a promise, for half of my dinner tonight. She insisted a great deal that that by my payment". Sonia laughed lightly as she explained, scratching her head.

"Because Hajime's cooking tonight!" Akane shouted with glee and excitement.

"I am?"

"Come on Hajime! Everyone decided on it already!", Kazuichi gave his usual toothy grin, giving a thumbs up on top of his confirmation. Hajime inwardly scoffed at the thought, not particularly fond of having cooking duty. But he took pride in how much someone like Akane who oved eating, liked his cooking.

"She likes your cooking. You've practically won her over already." Fuyuhiko leaned over and whispered into Hajime's ear. He flinched at the returning idea, bringing Fuyuhiko more joy at his expense.

"Ah! I almost forget! I finished the last one!" Kazuichi said aloud. Calling for attention. Sonia and Akane perked up at the announcement as well, explaining the sudden appearance of the three.

"You fixed all the solar panels?" Hajime asked.

"The Jabberwock hotel now has power! Now it'll be just like in the simulation! Full kitchens in the main and side buildings, working A/C, light and water in all the cottages! The pool pump even works now! I never got a chance to swim in that pool, so I think might today".

"I can cook on a stove? that's great, Kazuichi. For all you hard work, I'll let you decide the dish tonight".

"Make ramen! With the kitchen in working order it should be easy right?"

"Ramen it is then". Hajime smiled, agreeing to Kazuichi's request. At the point the five of them started walking back to the hotel together, where they would celebrate Kazuichi's recent achievement. During the dinner Hajime was sat next to Akane and was given suggestive looks by Fuyuhiko while he sat across the table. The night the group spent together was a happy one, and it was something none of them took for granted. \----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"It still surprises me how similar this island is to the virtual one".

Hajime spoke to himself as he dressed himself in his sleeping attire. Everyone had adjourned for the night after dinner, and he had decided to return to his cottage and head to bed early. Before falling asleep however, he could not help but recall his conversation with Fuyuhiko from earlier that day. He was indeed in dire need of an outlet to take his mind off past tragedies, but romance seemed too far of a stretch. But the idea wasn't impossible at all. It was reasonable even.

But only the future would tell, right?


	2. MOVIES

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUTHOR'S NOTE: just in case you haven't figured it out, this story takes place after the events of Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair (Game) & continues during AND after the FUTURE ARC (Anime). I won't spoil the ending or anything else. you need to progress through yourself.

"Did Kazuichi say anything else to you?" Hajime asked Fuyuhiko before taking a seat next to him. He only shrugged his shoulders, turning his eyes back to the bright red apple he was tossing up as they wait.

"He didn't tell me shit. Just said, 'wait for me at the hotel lobby!' and ran off somewhere. I'm guessing he's telling the girls the same thing right now. He clearly wants to show something off, though".

"Could it be something to do with our friends? He does spend almost all of his time there". His interest had risen at the thought of news regarding their comatose friends. He let the idea float around in his head for a bit before dismissing it due to low probability.

"I'd stop making fun of him forever if that was true". Fuyuhiko had seemingly dismissed the idea as well, but it was good to see that he had also considered it. "I'm just glad we have him around to keep things running".

"Surprise!"

"AHH!"

Fuyuhiko let out a quick and sharp scream as Kazuichi jumped out from behind them. Hajime was surprised as well; he just didn't show it as vocally as his friend did. Kazuichi laughed at the yakuza's reaction, making his face turn red in embarrassment. In the mechanics arms, he held a trio of items stacked on top of one another. From bottom to top he held a projector, a laptop and what you could only assume was a DVD inside of a clear case.

"Good morning, everyone!" Sonia mused as she and Akane walked down the stairs from the restaurant above.

"All right, everyone's here! Hey Hajime, think you can help me set up this stuff back here?"

"We're watching a movie?" Hajime asked as he stood up and followed Kazuichi to the back wall behind them. Together they quickly set up the electronics on a low coffee table against the wall. The whole time, Kazuichi was grinning, eager to unveil his surprise.

"Well... you know how I've been digging through things left behind by the future foundation, right? So, in one of the computers... I found the surveillance records of all of our time on the virtual island!".

"That's sick, Kazuichi". Hajime was taken aback by this as well, Fuyuhiko's statement bringing a mutual opinion to light.

"No no no, I edited it!" Kazuichi defended himself, waving his hands in front of him as he spoke frantically.

"Edited?" Hajime asked.

"Right! No murders, no crime scenes, class trials or executions!"

"What about footage from inside the cottages?" Sonia spoke with an annoyed tone as she stepped forward. Her right hand was raised, prepared to smack him if his answer wasn't to her liking.

"Of course not! I would n-never..."

"So, what is on there?" Hajime interrupted, halting Sonia's brief threat.

"I thought it'd be nice to have memories of the time we all spent together, seeing as most of the people in this footage aren't here... I thought it'd be nice if-"

"Well what are we waiting for!? Let's watch it already!" Akane shouted from her seat, arms raised in the air. While the others were still somewhat hesitant, they had all decided to give it a chance. Everything took their seats and waited for Kazuichi to dim the lights and get things going.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"I haven't heard Gundham speak in so long, I forgot how odd he sounded". Sonia giggled as they saw Hajime converse with Gundham on screen. The footage was doing as Kazuichi had intended, raising everyone's morale by reminding them of the time they spent with their friends.

Chiaki, the imposter, Nekomaru, Hiyoko, Mahiru, Ibuki, TeruTeru, Peko, Gundham, Mikan and Nagito. Seeing all their friends had everyone in a good mood, but it eventually ceased for Hajime as the footage continued, he noticed that some people had stopped appearing screen, reminding him of all the needless killing that happened. Yes, it was 'fake' to a certain degree, but in a way, it was still real. Those who died in the virtual world were still unconscious inside of their pods, no sign of if they'd ever be 'alive' again.

However, Hajime still took comfort in seeing his friends enjoy themselves around him.

"Hey! I said stop it!" Hajime was yanked out of his thoughts by the shouting occurring behind him. Glancing towards his right he can see Sonia and Fuyuhiko, smiling as they continued watching the projection. Looking behind them, he sees Kazuichi, struggling to hold back Akane as she reached for the laptop that was playing the video, his hysterical chuckling heard while he did.

"Wow, Hajime..." his head jerked back immediately at the sound of that voice. Looking back at the projection, could see Akane and himself. Her hand was being grasped by his, a blush taking over her face. "You, you're warm... this is the first time I've ever felt someone this warm..."

"Aw come on!" Kazuichi groaned as Akane slipped past him and disconnected the laptop from the projector before quickly knocking it off the table. The video on the wall was halted and replaced with static.

"I'll kill you! That was none of your business, you idiot!" Akane now had Kazuichi by the collar, and was shaking him violently back and forth, his mood unwavering as his laughter continued.

"Hajime, I think you're the only one who can help him at this point". Sonia spoke up from her seat.

With nervousness piled atop embarrassment, Hajime stood up and walked towards Akane. As she pulled back to punch Kazuichi, Hajime had entered her line of fire. the point of her bent elbow struck Hajime in the head, sending him falling back as fast as he was hit.

"Well this went south fast". Fuyuhiko said as he watched Hajime hit the floor. "this was a great idea, Kazuichi. it went pretty well".

"Oh dear... you knocked him out". Sonia and the others were now standing around Hajime's limp form.

"Lucky me, eh?" eyes were now on Kazuichi after that tasteless joke.

"Akane, knock him out!" Sonia commanded, pointing at Kazuichi.

"I'll beat him to death!" Akane shouted at the top of her lungs, chasing the now fleeing mechanic out of the building. Sonia rushed out after the two of them while shouting various obscenities. Fuyuhiko was the only one to stay behind, laughing lightly as he gently prodded Hajime's body with his foot.


	3. REPEAT

*Bang! Bang! *

"go away! People are sleeping in here!" Kazuichi yelled as Akane's fists came down on the door twice. Turning, he brings his attention back to the task at hand, he dabbed at the cut near Hajime's hairline with a damp blood stained cloth. He was still knocked out and had started bleeding from his wound a short while ago. Kazuichi had volunteered to treat him out of guilt, and Akane was clearly opposed to the notion.

*Tap Tap Tap Tap*

"Kazuichi? Would you open the door, please?" Sonia's light voice came through the door after a series of light knocks on the door. Kazuichi's head turned as soon as he heard her voice.

"Ms Sonia?" He cooed. Attention now focused elsewhere, Kazuichi's hand squeezed the damp rag, a mixture of blood and lukewarm water raining down onto Hajime's face. "what is it?"

"How is Hajime doing?"

"Oh Hajime. He is doing…OKAY!? HE'S OKAY!" Kazuichi tried to drown out the sound of Hajime's sudden coughs, yelling over him while looking down at the mess he made. In a hurry he stands and bolts for the bathroom to ring out and rinse the cloth, tripping over his own feet and immediately crashing down.

"What was that? What is going on in there!? Outside, the girls had both heard the racket Kazuichi was making, along with Hajime's coughing. "That's it! Akane, break the door down!"

Akane took a few steps back and started stretching her legs. After brief preparations, the gymnast charged the door. Aiming for the hinges, she lands a kick with full force sending the wooden door flying off its frame. As they both stood in the newly opened doorway, they were both at a loss for words at what they saw inside.

Inside, Hajime was still coughing as he laid in his bed, his face coated in a thin layer of wet blood. While his coughing fit carried on, Kazuichi lay sprawled out on the floor, the blood-soaked rag now unfolded and draped over his face.

"Dear god…what did you do?"

"I did nothing!" Kazuichi screamed as he sat up, the cloth sliding down his face and falling into his lap as he did so.

"You fool! Here, give me that!" Sonia walked over to Kazuichi, slapping the back of his head before kneeling down and taking the cloth form him. Taking the now red piece of fabric into the bathroom, she exchanges it for a clean fresh replacement. Stepping out of the washroom, she tosses Akane the clean towel.

"And I thought Mikan was the clumsy one". Akane's eyes scan over Hajime's blood-stained face before glaring daggers at Kazuichi. Taking her seat next to her sleeping friend, she leans over him uses the towel to wipe off his face, after about the fourth or fifth time the fabric glides over his skin, his eyes were open. "Ah…sorry if I woke you up".

His expression was blank as his eyes were half opened. He looked angry, or at the very least, irritated. The best possible way to describe the look on his face was a look of boredom. Akane's eyes were locked with his as her mouth hung open slightly. She could not even tell if he would want her to say anything.

"…" He rolled over on his side, and now had vision of the rest of his room. Kazuichi was still sitting on the floor in the middle of the room. When their gazes met, the mechanic shuddered before letting out a nervous chuckle. Hajime's green and red eyes felt like they could burn a hole through the back of his head if he stared at him long enough.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry about this morning". Akane voiced her concerns again. Hajime's gaze jumped from Kazuichi back to Akane as he stayed on his side.

"I'm fine". He spoke in a soft flat voice. She warmed up hearing his response. "Sonia? Can you get some water? Please".

"O-of course". Sonia complied to his request, going back into the bathroom and filling one of the two countertop glasses with water from the tap. She approached him slowly so as not to spill any water. He sat up slowly. When she reached his bedside, she scoffed at his appearance. "Your shirt collar, it has blood all over it! Take it off, and I'll clean it for you".

He showed no hesitation in following her request, removing his tie before his shirt, trading the latter for the glass of water. Kazuichi and Sonia were surprised to see that Hajime was fit, Izuru must have been taking good care of their body. Akane could not help but stare, she had no idea that someone besides Nekomaru had muscles to show. Sonia quickly left the cottage with his clothing, a pep in her step as she did.

"Could you be… any worse as a nurse?" He finally smiled, laughing lightly at Kazuichi before downing the water and placing the empty glass on the floor next to his bed.

"Hey, I thought I did pretty good", Kazuichi laughed back, pulling at his collar.

"It got in my nose, Kazuichi. I can smell it. So, what happened? I am startled that Akane's hands aren't wrangling your neck right now".

"Fuyuhiko stopped me". Akane giggled, remembering how events had played out that morning. "He said it'd be a bad idea, since we don't have an actual nurse around".

"Lucky me, eh?" Kazuichi laughed again, finally standing up from the floor. He scratched at his neck nervously as stood there, until he said "I'm gonna go now. I'll be at the control room, probably for the rest of the day". And ran out of the room.

Silence had never sounded do loud to either of them before. Akane was still sitting at the edge of his bed, staring at the ceiling while she twiddled her thumbs. Hajime repositioned himself so he was laying on his side again, and with his right hand, pulled the covers over his body and up to the base of his neck. He looked at her from his point of view and could see clearly that she wanted to speak. What he knew about her, he figured that she might fell weak by saying anything at all, but it clearly was not that complicated. She felt guilty, and that was it.

"I'm not mad, not at all". He thought it would be better if he spoke first. She turned so they were face to face, a surprised look on hers.

"Not even a little?"

"Not even a little".

"I just got so worked up… and embarrassed".

"Embarrassed?"

"That moment… they all saw it… I wanted that moment for myself, and only myself. The moment when you reminded me that being strong meant to overcome my own weaknesses".

He was genuinely surprised. Now, he could see why she had been so angry, he did not want to leave this moment in the air, but he could feel himself falling back asleep. So, he decided to act. His left hand slowly slid out from his blanket, brushing against her arm before tenderly grasping her left hand. She had turned away, quickly looking back at him when he grabbed her. His eyes were closed. He was asleep.

This moment would be for them and them alone.


	4. HOPING FOR THE BEST

"Hey, are you going to answer the fucking door or not!?"

Fuyuhiko almost slammed his knuckles against the beaten wood door for the third time that morning. He had been knocking for at lest half an hour on his third attempt, where as for the first two tries had ended in him leaving after bout five minutes of waiting before he gave up and left. He would not be shut out so easily.

"I'll get Akane to kick down this damn door again!" He shouted once again before kicking the door with his right foot. "Hajime!"

*Click*

The door was unlocked from the other side, cracking open slightly. Through the opening only darkness was shown, aside from one other thing. Hajime's bright red eye peered out through the crack, staring down the agitated visitor. Nothing was said by either, and nothing was heard by either.

"You're not gonna say anything?" He took hold of the situation himself, cocking his head to the side as he spoke words soaked in anger and annoyance. No response was presented once again, it could even be thought that Hajime was not moving at all if his eye did not close halfway.

"Could I talk to you later?" Hajime spoke form behind his door, nearly causing Fuyuhiko to jump from hearing his voice. But the answer he had given did not seem to remedy the situation at all. Fuyuhiko's fists curled up at his sides, his knuckles popping from the motion.

"You're lucky we're friends. Anyone else, well they'd be fucking dead by now". Fuyuhiko took a deep, calming breath. His body loosened up, palms opening as they slid into his pockets. He turned and walked away, but not before saying that he would hold him at his word.

Watching him leave his view, Hajime let out a heavy breath as he pushed his door shut, locking it as he now leaned beside the frame. He stared at the ground before moving so that his back was pressed to the wall. He slid down to the floor, now sitting as he clutched his head in his hands. Inside his head he wrestled with his thoughts.

His thoughts of the happiness he wanted in his new life.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Yeah he's not coming". Fuyuhiko said as he took his seat among the others at the restaurant. "We'll just have to discuss this without him".

"And what's that again?" Akane said "Sorry, I already forget".

"What we'll do about the others, should something happen" Sonia answered. She hid her face feeling embarrassed, looking down at her lap while she shuffled in her chair.

"She means if someone wakes up and attacks someone else". Kazuichi said bluntly. "Remember how Mikan acted in the simulation when she got her memories back? She killed two people!"

"We can't say with one hundred percent certainty that something like that would happen again. Besides, we were the same as them. Confused and afraid. It is thanks to Hajime, Makoto and his friends that we even remember what happened during that trip. If the bastard had bothered to show up, maybe he'd have some sort of idea".

"Yeah… although, we might be worrying about this too soon. I am in the control room all day. Not even one of them has shown even the slightest change".

"I guess all we really can do is believe in our friends and hope for the best…"

Their hope was dim, but it was there. Each of them felt saddened by the reality of their friend's conditions, but there was nothing that could be done now. All they could do was continue living out their daily lives. Continue to live, and hope that eventually all their friends will join them.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Is it a waste of time?" He thought to himself. He had not moved from his spot on the floor yet, too engaged in his thinking to move. Over and over he went through different possibilities, different possible outcomes. There of course, was no clear answer to this question.

Part of him was optimistic. That happiness could be part of his reality, something he could experience every day. Yet, there was apart of him that thought the exact opposite. It was idiotic. It was never going to be. It was a waste of time.

He was, to put simply, confused. Not once could he recall feeling this way. This hopeful, excited, yet scared feeling. As he sat there, the sound of nearby voices reached his ears through the cottage walls. He could hear them, his friends. He cracked a smile, realizing how needless this anxiety was. Standing up, he walked into his bathroom, grabbing the pair of swimming trunks that hung over the shower head. Changing, he leaves his cottage with a smile on his face, running into Kazuichi and Fuyuhiko outside.

"You're going swimming?" Was all Kazuichi said when he saw him, sharing the same surprised look as Fuyuhiko. "Fuyuhiko said you were sulking in your cottage".

"Well, it's nice outside… so I thought I'd come out and- "

"Well thanks for telling us, jerk! I'm going too!" Kazuichi laughed as he ran away towards his cottage, slamming his door behind him. Fuyuhiko did not move, however, he did have a question.

"The beach, or the swimming pool?"

"The beach?"

"Hmm… I guess that's alright. I'll meet you there". He walked past him slowly, saying that he could use some relaxation. He disappeared inside his cottage, just as Kazuichi reappeared in swimming trunks, same camo pattern like the speedo he wore before discovering Mahiru's body in the beach house. A white towel over his shoulder, the two started conversing, enjoying each other's company as they walked to the beach.

Hajime realized he had been worrying for nothing. He could push aside what was worrying him, and simply enjoy being alive. This, coincidentally enough, reminded him of a conversation he had with Fuyuhiko yesterday. And it turns out he was right. All he needed was a distraction.


	5. DOUBTS

"Don't look". Fuyuhiko leaned over, whispering into Hajime's ear as they sat at one of the many tables in the restaurant. Their three other friends were sitting near each other a few feet away, making small talk. He turned his head, raising a brow to show how much he had understood that statement.

"Don't look at what?" He whispered back after swallowing a mouth full of food. They played out their private conversation as smooth as possible, the topic of interest still in the air. Fuyuhiko took a sip of water, before bringing another bit to his mouth, speaking as he did so.

"Akane's staring at you". A wave of heat slapped him in the face. Fuyuhiko caught the change in his composure, coughing to suppress his laughter. From his seat, Hajime could see Akane from the edge of his peripheral vision. Pure curiosity is what urged him to turn his head. "I said don't look, you moron".

He was prodded in his side with an elbow. His head staying in its current position, watching his head needlessly toss food around on his plate. He took a bite, chewing slowly and without interest.

"How can you tell?" He probes for information, his whispers dancing on the thin line of secrecy. Fuyuhiko leans back, stretching against his chair so that his head was closer to Hajime's ear.

"She's not eating. At all". What was that supposed to mean? He showed his confusion by making a face, only receiving a few muffled curse words as a response. "Her plate is still full, you fucking genius. She's preoccupied with looking at your damn face".

Hajime grunted as Fuyuhiko quickly stomped on his foot. He turned his head as he retaliated by copying his action. After that, his body had succumbed to his overwhelming curiosity, and he shifted his vision towards her direction.

Their eyes met instantly, and in that instant, all his nervous hopes had jumped out of hiding. Now, all that could be felt by him was warmth. His chest flared up as the fires within rekindled themselves. Slowly, he could feel his anxieties began to fill his head again.

"You know there is such a thing as waiting too long". Hajime's head turned back towards Fuyuhiko when his words reached him, after exchanged a few remarks, he could not help but look back at Akane.

At her seat, having been discovered, she tried putting on a façade by attacking the food on her plate. The blush on her face had stayed behind as he ate, her eyes struggling to keep from looking back at him.

He took his chance to get up and leave the room. Saying nothing he took his leave, walking out of the hotel grounds. He needed to be alone, to relax. He walked towards the beach.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
High tide was starting to roll in. The sky was filled with bright clusters of stars, lighting the night sky. Hajime sat down in the soft comfortable sand, his back against a palm tree as he stared out at the waves.

He had been at the beach since he left the restaurant. Sitting there, he drifted in and out of a light sleep, trying to ignore the thoughts that had returned to him. He would just have to try harder, so that matters like this would not faze him.

"I don't know what to do anymore", he sighed heavily, closing his eyes. The cold night air greatly contrasts the heat coming from his body. It brought a rather odd sense of comfort, as he started to shiver. He settled further onto the sand below, using the sound of the waves to help him relax. He had decided that it would be best to forget about all of this until a later date.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Did I do something wrong?"

"Besides knocking him out, no I don't think you have".

"He's been avoiding me all day. I must've done something wrong".

"Akane, you did nothing wrong. Why don't you just try and relax and think about this logically".

"That's what I've been doing; and all that's done is confuse me".

"Well… what is it that's confusing you?"

"I think…I…"

"It's alright, you don't have to say it. I understand".

"I don't know what to do anymore".

Akane slouched over, holding her head up with her heads. Next to her, Sonia tried to comfort her as best as she could, patting her back with her left palm. The two girls had been talking for some time, not reaching any sort of conclusion.

"I think you just have to talk to him". Sonia threw out her advice bluntly. Sitting on that advice, Akane wondered if that were all she could do. Of course, a solution for this type of dilemma was not easy to find. And, any solutions that could be found, were not always as simple as they may have sounded.

"I don't think I can do that…" She denied the thought almost immediately. This song and dance were beginning to become tiresome. This endless cycle of hope followed by doubt. "If he rejects me…"

"No way that is happening, it's obvious he feels the same about you. But in the end, this is up to him and you". Sonia stood up, patting Akane on top of her head. "Try not to think about it so much. You are just stressing yourself out. I will see you tomorrow. Good night, Akane".

"Yeah, see you later…" Akane got up, locking her door as her friend departed for the night. Alone again, she throws her body onto her bed. 'He feels the same?' a small smile formed on her face until she started to blush again, she buried her face into her pillow and started groaning as loud as possible.

"I've never felt so weak before…"


	6. MAINTENANCE

"Are you sure it's safe to be doing that?" Sonia asked Kazuichi. The ultimate Mechanic's legs were crossed as he sat on the floor, a few different tools resting in his lap. He was sitting next to one of the pods that contained their comatose friends, the side of it opened to examine the parts on the inside.

"I know for sure that it is not. The life support systems went offline for a few of the pods. That is what keeps them all hydrated and stuff like that. Basically, it is what keeps them alive. If I cannot fix the ones that are going haywire, well… they're going to die".

"How long do you have?" Sonia asked with a hitch in her voice. Kazuichi had stopped his working, bringing one of his hands to his chin as he thought the question over.

"Maybe a few hours. Now they will be okay without it for a while. But I would still like to fix everything as soon as possible. Could you go find Hajime? I think I'm going to need an extra pair of hands if I'm going to get this done quickly".

Sonia complied immediately, rushing out of the room. Now alone, Kazuichi tried to get back into focus. Straightening his posture, he leaned forward to peek at the top of the pod in front of him. Inside he could see the body of Mahiru Koizumi. He shuddered at the thought that his inability to fix something would be the death of someone. All he could do was believe in his talent.

As he started his work, his eyes darted back between some schematics and a box of spare parts he had, an all-new problem had just made itself known to him. The spare parts he had at his side were just enough for two of the pods, at best. There were six in need of maintenance. Kazuichi felt like an idiot for saying that only a few of them were going under when in actuality, it was more than half.

He stood up quickly with the schematics in hand and ran for the nearby storage room. It was at about that time that the simulation had gone from bad to worse. He grabbed one of the handles attached the double doors of the storage room. It was locked.

"It's locked!?" He pulled at both handles now, which was a futile effort. Frantically, he pats his body down, checking for the key that he usually kept inside his pocket. He went over his body once. It was not there. He checked again. It still was not there. "Where is it!?"

He brought his fist down on the door out of frustration, running back over to where he was currently sitting. He picked up the box of spare parts, inspecting it over and over. As he tried coming up with a solution, he could hear his friends approaching, the door to the building slamming open.

"What is going on!?" He heard Hajime yell form across the large room. As he and Sonia drew closer, their sprints slowly came to a halt. Sonia was clearly exhausted as she leaned on Hajime's arm, panting heavily.

"I need some help here", Kazuichi snatched the beanie off his head before ruffling his own hair. He explained the situation at hand and the problems he had on the side, receiving shocked looks from Hajime and Sonia. "You still got a bit of Izuru in you, right?"

"We're one in the same, so yeah, I guess so? Why?" Hajime cringed at the mention of Izuru Kamakura, his former personality.

"As I said, I can't find my storage room key. I have got to get in there to get some extra things I need to fix these pods. I figured you can find some sort of way to get the door op- "

"is that your key over there?" Hajime pointed to the ground near one of the pods. Kazuichi almost screamed with glee when he saw the key on the floor. He ran over and picked it up, running back to the storage room while yelling about how lucky it was Hajime spotted the key on the floor.

Kazuichi ran out of the storage room as fast as he ran in. he returned with a large box, pushing it so it slid across the floor. The sound of clanging metal sent a shiver down everyone's backs as the box stopped at Hajime's feet.

"Alright! Let us assume that everything is going to be okay and get to work!"  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Yeah that can't be good". It was one thing after another today. With help form Hajime, Kazuichi was able to fix all the pods, as well as device plans in case something of a similar matter should happen later. However, another problem had made itself present in the end. "Those two aren't looking so good…"

"Who?" Hajime asked Kazuichi.

"My left and right eyes just look. I've got bags!" Hajime rolled his eyes but could not help but chuckle. Kazuichi did look exhausted, and this little incident could not have been good for him. It was a lot of pressure. "I'm wayyy too young to have bags under my eyes. I'll never get a girlfriend looking like this!"

"I don't think you have to worry about that", Sonia shot Hajime a look as she giggled at what she just said. Kazuichi took the insult with a grain of salt, laughing it off himself. But it still hurt to hear something like that come from her of all people.

"So, everyone's okay?" Hajime wanted to be certain.

"Some of them are starting to smell a little funny but yeah, they're all okay. Oh, but before I forget, I've got to tell you something". His demeaner had changed in an instant. He held his chin with his hand, thinking on how to best explain the matter. He sighed, as if struggling to push the words out of his mouth. "While we were working on things down there… I swear…"

He looked very uneasy. Hajime and Sonia wasted patiently for him to speak.

"I'm sure… I saw Nagito's eyes open".


	7. NIGHT SHIFT

"You know we can work out a schedule for this".

"It's fine. Go back to the hotel and get some sleep".

Hajime almost had to yell just to get Kazuichi to leave. The whole group had discussed the Nagito event for a large majority of the day. While they were all awaiting their friend's return, the last person they would want to wake up first was him. Everyone thought that someone should stay overnight and watch the pods while the others slept. Hajime volunteered to stay every night. The others were slightly against the idea because it seemed somewhat unfair.

"If something happens, you'll be alright then?" Kazuichi's concern was nice and all, but it was becoming a bit irritating.

"Nothing will happen". Hajime smiled, trying to pound some sense of ease into the Mechanic's head.

"Well if he does wake up, be careful. Things usually tend to go his way. I guess I'll see you tomorrow". Kazuichi finally left for the night, reluctantly.

Hajime let out a heavy breath as soon as his friend left earshot. The first thing that came to mind was time. He would be up for a minimum of eight hours, guarding these sleeping bodies from nothing. But it was a necessary precaution to take, if there was a chance HE would wake up. Nagito Komaeda was not the most pleasant person to be around. His actions against everyone else in the simulation did not help his case, of course.

Hajime did not want him out of sight.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
About four hours had passed since his watch began. Nothing happened. Nothing at all. The hovered over Nagito's pod for quite a while, eyes fixated only on his face. If he really did wake up, he clearly slipped back into his coma. Either that, or he was feigning sleep until he could leave his pod and slip away.

Hajime realized he had been overthinking this. He eased up, moving away from the pod. Finding himself pacing back and forth around the rooms, and eventually looking at the others.

It was odd, almost uncomfortable, too see all of them as they were. They were all dead. He had seen their corpses, seen their spilt blood. But that was not real. They were all here, alive and well. Hajime had decided it was best not to dwell on it too much.

He started wondering around the room again, to pass the time. As he was doing earlier in the night, he walked from person to person. He would stop and stare, and then move on. Stop, stare, move on. Every night? He regretted that call, slightly.

Hajime knew Nagito would not be easy to talk to, especially if he wakes up feeling ultimate despair. But Nagito's not the only threat to the group, and he was forced to accept that. The least threatening would probably be TeruTeru or Hiyoko, but as he saw during the killing game, anyone could become a killer, no matter how harmless you may look. If someone like Nekomaru were intent on killing, then Hajime and the others would be in big trouble.

"I figured you'd get bored". He stopped his pacing and spun around to see Fuyuhiko walking towards him. "I could tell just from looking at you".

"What are you doing here?" He was blunt and to the point.

"I used to come here ever since we escaped the simulation". He said, walking towards and then past Hajime. he stopped at one of the pods, placing his flat palms on its surface, he leaned against the machinery, looking down at his friend's face. "I stopped recently. But I figured if that psychopath Nagito almost got up…"

"She's been still the whole night. They all have". Fuyuhiko was not surprised to hear that.

"Wake up!" He yelled at the pod jokingly, chuckling to himself. Sighing, he moved his hands into his pockets. He stared for a few more seconds before looking up at Hajime.

"Is that all you came here for?" He could see through the charade. He may have wanted to visit her, but he was there to see Hajime as well. It was confirmed, Fuyuhiko going silent, save for his now tapping foot.

"I guess it wasn't".

"Then what?"

"Just checking on you". He sounded stern, like a father talking to his son. "You've been quiet lately".

"I've had something on my mind for quite a while". He was honest in his explanation.

Fuyuhiko perked up, guessing what it was he was talking about. Hajime saw this and smiled lightly.

"You know I just brought that up as a joke, right?"

"A joke…" Hajime fell silent at that statement. He looked forward, at the ground, cupping his chin with his left hand. Taking what he just said into account, he was surprised he was taking it so seriously. Almost two days spent dwelling on a matter that was introduced as a joke.

"So, you're alright then?" Fuyuhiko changed the subject. He had already teased him about this enough.

"Yeah, I'm alright". He answered.

"Well I'll leave you to this then". Fuyuhiko patted the pod in front of him before taking his leave.  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Yeah, I'm sorry I couldn't get much out of him". Fuyuhiko spoke softly as he cleared the metal door behind him. The night air was crisp and cold, made ever more present by the constant winds. Outside he met with Akane, who had been eavesdropping on the boy's conversation. "Could you hear him?"

"Yeah I heard him". The two started walking back, the young woman grumbling her words.

"You know you could have asked me a while ago. Probably would have went easier than this". He said, fidgeting with the strap of his eyepatch. "Doesn't help if both of you are hard-headed".

"Oh, shut up". She clicked her tongue, punching him in the arm. He laughed.  
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"Do I deserve to be happy?" He said to himself for what felt like the hundredth time. Most people would just say yes to the query, but he felt like he needed to ask himself. Yes, he should know, yet he did not.

In his hand he moved around a pin. He remembered finding it in his clothes when they first left the simulation. He knows who it belonged to, but he could never give it to them. He thought about what that person might tell him.

He thought about the life he wanted, the life he wanted… with Akane.

"I think I'll tell her, soon…"

He thought he did not deserve happiness.

But he wanted it.


	8. CONFLICT

'I like you'.

'I really like you'.

'I really, really like you'.

'I love you?'

"Why does this have to be so hand?" Hajime smacked himself as he walked through his cottage door. It was morning, and he was just getting back from his night shift at the control room. This was only his first shift and he spent it thinking about how he would confess.

Pure nervousness. His body shook just out of pure nervousness. Even if he had wanted to, he could not fall asleep now. Especially after deciding that today was the day, he would go for it. Rejection was anticipated, and to be honest, feared.

"Alright… I am going to… I am really doing this". He said to himself as he took note of his deteriorating condition. From the bathroom mirror he could see that he was sweating profusely, and that his hands would not stop shaking. Hajime had never confessed his feelings to a girl before, so being nervous is understandable. His eyes shot away from his reflection as he cursed out loud. Clearly, he was being a bit too hasty in making his decision, but he had made up his mind.

He still planned on doing it today, but he thought it would be best if he at least got some sleep. He moved over to his bed, flopping onto it in a single motion. He stared at the ceiling, slowing his breathing, trying as hard as he could to relax. He did not sleep as he had intended, continuing to stare upwards as he laid on his back.

Trying to relax only put him more on edge. He knew he had something to be anxious about and staring at nothing would do nothing to make that feeling go away. And as intelligent as he was at this point in time, he could not think of anything that would stop his heart from racing.

He decided to close his eyes, a yawn escaped his mouth, once, and then once again. He rolled out of bed quickly, not wanting to succumb to sleep after all. He yawned again when he stood up, stretching his arms over his head. He threw off his clothes without a second thought, deciding spontaneously to take a shower.

As the ice-cold water spewed out from above him, he breathed in a calming rhythm. He would use this time to try and rid himself of his nervousness.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Ahhh", Akane winced when she saw the state of her hands, her knuckles were cut up and bruised, trickles of blood dripping from her wounds. She had been at the beach since she woke up that morning and had been venting her accumulated anger by punching one of the scattered palm trees.

*Crack! *

The joints in her hand popped when her fist came down on the tree trunk again. The entire tree rattled and shook as she continued slamming her fists against it again and again. Her wounds were now producing even more blood, staining the tree as he kept assaulting it.

"Ah crap…" She stopped her odd form of staining when she noticed a slip of crumpled paper on the ground. She bent over and picked it up, shaking the grains of sand off it while straightening it out. "Damn idiot…"

She licked the back of the paper and slapped it onto the tree again. On the beaten sheet of parchment was a name, written quickly and crudely. Hajime. in her mind she was not taking her anger out on a tree, she was taking it out on him.

She was preparing herself for what she thought she would have to do. He had been avoiding her, so she had found a way to force him to talk. She planned on fighting him, forcing him to say something, anything. Today was the day she would have answers from him.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"What's this?" Hajime stepped out of his cottage and was met with a crumbled-up piece of paper on his doorstep. Curiosity took hold of him, the scrap finding its way to his hands. He smoothed it out as best as he could, flinching when his hands found that part of it was damp.

"Hajime" His name was written sloppily in the middle of the paper. Among that he noticed that there were many small, yet very noticeable smears all along the surface. The parchment recked of copper. The red stains covering the paper were blood, clearly.

"Meet me at the beach. We have to talk". Is what he saw when he turned the paper over. Now he was slightly worried. The message was very poorly written, now dried blood substituted for a pen or pencil. He crumpled the paper up again and shoved it in his pocket. With quick feet he decided to head for the beach. He hated to do it, but for now, his plans with Akane had to go on the back burner.

Was someone hurt? Did Nagito wake up after all? Maybe he hurt someone. It certainly would not be beyond him. As the theoretical scenarios began getting worse and worse, his pace quickly turned into a jog, and then a run. The more he thought, the more he panicked. The faster he ran.

He did not expect to see her waiting at the beach. Standing near the shore's edge. Akane had her back turned to him. From where he stood, he could see her bloodstained knuckles, wrapped up in stained bandages.

"Akane!" He shouted before running to her side. She turned as his words met her ears, her eyes sending chills down his spine. Never had she looked at him so angrily. "Who… what happened to your hands?"

"Don't worry about that". She said, crossing her arms.

Still worried, he reached out towards one of her palms, his hand was slapped away almost immediately. She shot him another angry look as she let her arms hang down, grinding her teeth together while her fists were curling up at her sides.

"How can't I? You are bleeding! Just tell me what happened!"

"You can't do that!"

"Ah!"

She swung at him with her left, following with a right. Missing, she continued throwing punches wildly. He walked backwards, narrowly avoiding her attacks one after another.

"H-hey! What are you… Ah!"

"You can't avoid me, and then act like you want to talk! You want to talk to me!? Then beat me in a fight!"

Her plan had changed once he sought her out. Now she was not so eager to speak to him. In her boiling anger, she had decided that she would make him work for it. he would have to fight her before she would listen to anything he had to say.


	9. CONFESSION

"Throw a damn punch already!" Hajime had not retaliated against her assault. Rather, he was leading her around the beach as he avoided anything and everything she threw at him. He could see every move she would make beforehand, making it seemingly impossible to touch him.

"I won't". he refused to fight back. Akane quickened her movements after he denied her demand. She felt even more insulted. He was refusing to fight back and was dodging all her attacks with little to no effort. "I don't want to hurt you".

"You already have!" He lost focus, surprised by what she had said. In his state of confusion, she took advantage of his negligence. Her left arm shot out, clasping onto his right shoulder. Pinned, he could not get out of the way when her right fist came down on his stomach. She released her grip after contact, and he backed away a few paces to let out a few hoarse coughs. "All this time, you've been ignoring me, and that hurt!"

She bolted at him again and tried sweeping him off his feet. He was still trying to catch his breath, barely managing to hop over her kick and stay on his feet. He was still winded, breathing breaths that brought pain at each inhale.

'I've hurt her already?' He thought as he regained his composure, blocking a punch aimed at his face. She said that he had been avoiding her earlier, and he would not deny that. But he was deeply saddened to hear that she was hurt by it. he would never dream of hurting her in any way, yet he already did.

He was becoming lost in his thoughts, taking a heavy kick to his ribs. He jumped back to try and gain some space, but she would not let him get away so easily. Again, she blistered him, this time landing a pair of punches on his chest.

He cocked back his right fist, ready to fight back. But he could not bring himself to throw a punch. He lowered his arm, taking another hit from her as he did. He needed to think of another way to resolve this. Taking another hit, this time from her knee, he knew there wasn't one.

He finally threw a punch at her. His fist landed on her stomach, with enough force to stun, but not hurt her.

"Just let me say what I have to say!" Hajime tried again to reason with her.

"Shut up and fight!" Akane was beyond reasoning with.

'I'm more afraid than ever'. He readied himself as she charged at him again. They fell back into the same routine, Hajime leading Akane around as he dodged her attacks. It was not as easy as it seemed, however. She was making up various attacks, each more complex than the last. Although she was not landing many, most only missed by a fraction of a second.

"I'm sorry, alright! I'm sorry!" He yelled.

"Sorry for what!?"

"For avoiding you all this time, I really do regret it!"

Akane grabbed and lifted him by his collar. He let her do it, guessing he would be able to get a few words out if he did.

"What are you talking about!?" Even in her hands, she did not let up on him. She dragged him to the nearest palm tree, pinning him by his shoulders. His lips parted to answer her question, letting out only air when she kneed him in the gut.

"I was… nervous!" He brought his right leg up, pushing his foot against her stomach to push her back. She looked confused now. She ran at him mindlessly, swinging her right fist. He sent out his left, catching it. the same happened with her left. They were now face to face; her fists held closer by his hands.

"Like hell you were!" Akane, unable to hit him, pulled him towards her. He was unable to do anything when she slammed her own head into his. Their foreheads now resting against each other, they were eye to eye. "What would you have to be nervous about!?"

He felt a warm line of blood run down his right nostril. His heartbeat resonated loudly in his eardrums. Now was his chance. All he had to do was say it. all he had to do was tell her.

"I was… I thought that…" He could feel her breath on his face. "I thought that you would reject me if I told you how I felt!"

"W-What?" She pulled her head back to get a clearer view of his face. He smiled at her, the line of blood from his nose was now dripping off his chin. She stammered, thrown off by what he had said.

"I love you, Akane…"

Her eyes went wide, her heart started racing. His words echoed repeatedly in her head. She could not speak, but she wanted him to. She wanted to hear him say it again.

"You what?"

"I love you…" She gasped when he let go of her hands and fell forward. Her arms hooked under his, holding him as his head rested atop her shoulder. "Sorry I didn't tell you sooner…"

"I've been worrying for no reason… I feel like an idiot". She laughed. "I… I love you, too".

"You thought- "

"That you wouldn't feel that way about me? Yeah… I did".

"Well… I'm glad I could prove you wrong". He could finally feel the weight coming off his body. "So, what do we do now?"

"Well, I think we need to clean you up first. Then, maybe… we can go tell the others".

"You know… I think I could've won that fight if I had tried".

"Oh, shut up".

Hajime pulled back so he could look her in her eyes, feeling nothing but happiness. Without hesitation, Akane leaned in, lightly kissing him on the lips. Not caring about the blood coming from his nose.

In the end, their problems were not as complicated as they thought they would be. They did not need to argue. They certainly did not need to fight. The entire time, they had felt the same. All they needed to do was admit it.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What the hell are we supposed to do!?" Kazuichi was panicking frantically. He paced back and forth, while on the side Fuyuhiko was struggling to maintain his composure. Before them, one of the pods in the control room was open, the body that was inside was nowhere to be found.

"What you need to do, is shut the fuck up, and clam down!"

"And how am I supposed to do that!? I was only gone for an hour! And when I came back. HE was gone, and there's a goddamn SEVERED ARM on the floor!"

"I said calm down!"

"We're going to die, aren't we!? I don't want to die!"

"Pull yourself together, dumbass!" A stinging slap came across Kazuichi's cheek, effectively calming him down.

But he had every right to be so afraid. In the short time he had been away, Nagito Komaeda disappeared. He was gone, and it was a mystery to where his intentions would lead him.


	10. MISSING PERSON

"So, what happens now? He's got free roam of the island, and I'm fairly sure he was something sharp". Fuyuhiko and Hajime discussed the problem before them, staring at the severed arm that laid on the ground.

"Well, someone needs to be here at all times now. Maybe even have two people here during the day, instead of just one". Hajime's eyes scanned over the pods before looking back at Fuyuhiko.

"Hey Kazuichi! Help me get rid of this arm!" Fuyuhiko shouted, walking off towards the Mechanic. Hajime's attention went back to the arm. Like he remembered from their closing moments in the simulation, it was indeed a woman's arm. As he continued to stare at the cold, lifeless limb, a thought came to mind. What could have been going through Nagito's head that would bring him to cut it off?

"Hey, please tell me you're not going to stay here tonight". Akane appeared at his side, bringing his attention to her. "I still want to talk to you about… stuff".

"I'll fill in for you tonight". Kazuichi said in front of him. He and Fuyuhiko were now struggling to get the arm into a bag without touching it. "I need to make up for letting him get away. I guess I can start by giving you the night off".

"Are you sure?" Hajime asked.

"I'm the one who brought it up, so yeah, I'm pretty sure". He pumped his fist when Fuyuhiko finally managed to kick the arm into the bag.

"Oh, I know this isn't the time, but I'm happy for the two of you!" Sonia mused as she circled the room again. She had been checking up on all the others, for signs of life. "Speaking of which, when can we expect to see some little Hajimes walking about?"

"Okay so I'm going to look around for Nagito now. Fuyuhiko, why don't you come with me?" He grabbed his friend by the arm, tugging at him as he tried to drag him away. As they as they neared the door, the young yakuza felt the need to shout out something.

"Kazuichi, go and bury that damn arm!"

The two of them quickly left the building and started searching for the missing person. Akane heated up immensely at the idea of having children, while Sonia laughed at her expense.  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"He left a blood trail…" After a short time walking outside, the two of them did indeed find a trail of blood on the ground, it was thin, and faint, but it was something that they could follow at the least. Without a second thought they started walking along the thin line.

"So, do you think he's dangerous?" Fuyuhiko felt the need to ask.

"It's Nagito, it'd be dangerous to think he wasn't". Hajime made a fair point.

As they followed the line of blood, they started to notice something. The trail had become more complex. Complex meaning it looked like he began stumbling around he was half asleep. He had lost a lot of blood, that much was apparent, even if the trail was scarce of evidence. Most likely, his arm was wrapped up in whatever he could find.

Eventually, the line had led them somewhere. In his injured state, Nagito wandered into the grounds of the hotel. Past the gate, the blood trail had gone straight, avoiding the cottages. As comforting it was to know he stayed away from their rooms, it was worse seeing the trail ended in front of the pool. There were no signs of blood in the water, nor any hints where he went from this point.

"Fuck". Fuyuhiko grunted before looking at Hajime to decide what they would do from here. He said nothing, his eyes were shut as he stood there, arms crossed. His nose was twitching, pampering Fuyuhiko to do the same out of instinct. He immediately cringed when a putrid scent wafted into his nostrils. "What the hell is that? Smells fucking disgusting".

"You smell it too? Smells like… something's burning". Hajime put a possible label on the scent. His friend could not help but inhale again to confirm it, almost gaging as the fool aroma hit him again.

"So…" Fuyuhiko moved his head over his mouth, trying not to gag while he spoke. "The kitchen… right?"

"We'll see". Hajime started walking towards the restaurant. Fuyuhiko followed, his palm now covering his nose as well as his mouth. As they slowly climbed the stairs to the hotel's restaurant, the unpleasant aroma only grew in strength. Fuyuhiko's eyes were starting to water, nearing his breaking point. Only when they reached the kitchen did things worsen for him.

The kitchen was a complete mess. The floor, and some parts of the walls were splattered with blood. Also, on the floor was a scrap of cloth, torn up and soaked in the bodily fluid. As Hajime took note of the messy state of the room, Fuyuhiko tapped him on the shoulder.

"One of the burners is on…" His attention was pointed to the stove. The appliance was on, as he was told, a pan resting on the heated surface. "Is… is that…oh god!"

In the pan were bits and pieces of what looked like meat and skin, completely burnt black. Under the flesh, a small amount of blood sizzled lightly and without much sound.

"That sick bastard cauterized his wound!"

"I'm surprised we didn't find him passed out from the pain".

"Little fucker got lucky… turn that shit off. I'm going to be sick".

Hajime did as he said, for the sake of them both, taking the pan and tossing it onto the counter after shutting the stove off. Nagito was nowhere to be found. The mess he left in the kitchen was last trace of him.  
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"It… it wasn't real? Everything I did, was for nothing. And them… they are alive. Alive. Alive. They are all alive. Ahahahaha…"

Nagito whispered to himself as he sat in his current hiding place. He was confused. He thought he was dead. A sacrifice for hope, to end the Ultimate Despair. But they were still alive. And so was he. He was struggling to get a grip on reality. To come to terms with what he did or thought he did.

"I'll be alright. I will be alright. No matter how big the Despair… Hope will always win in the end".


	11. SMALL TALK

"So, what're we going to do now?" Kazuichi asked. The five friends had gathering in the control after learning about what Nagito did in the kitchen. The question was aimed at Hajime, whom out of the five would most likely have thought of a solution.

"We stay alert. Other then that, we can't really do anything". Fuyuhiko gave his own answer. Hajime had nothing to add, nodding when Kazuichi looked at him for confirmation.

"There isn't much we can do, is there?" Sonia questioned why they could do anything to handle the situation.

"No, not until we find him, or he reveals himself to us. So, until then, always keep an open eye out. That is going to mean less sleep for most of us". Hajime spoke an irritating truth. Because of Nagito, their peaceful lives on the island had to be adjusted for their own safety. "Kazuichi, are you sure you want to stay here all night alone?"

"Wait!" Kazuichi interrupted, making a few of his friends flinch. "I just had a thought, what'll stop him from breaking into someone's cottage and doing something!?"

"Even with one arm, I can't say that'd be out of his realm of capabilities". Presented with another possible safety precaution, Hajime probed his brain for an answer. "It's up to you all, of course, but we could all sleep here. For the time being".

"I would feel better knowing you were all nearby". Sonia quickly accepted the proposal.

"Count me in!" Akane had already made up her mind.

"Sleep here? Where, on the floor?" Kazuichi was not so willing to give up his bed.

"It's alright if you stay in your cottage. It'll make it easier for him to pick you off". Fuyuhiko teased, an odd amount of sincerity in his tone.

"No no no, fine! I'll stay too!"

"So, it's agreed then. Until it is safe to do otherwise, we all sleep here from now on".

The basis of the safety measures now established; they began padding an extra detail. The night watch would be taken in shifts of two, with one rotation in the middle of the night. Hajime and Fuyuhiko would take the first shift, Akane and Sonia taking the second, with Kazuichi being a replacement for a different person when needed. No more than three people could leave during the day, leaving two people in the building.

Right now, there was no such thing as excessive measures. Safety was now the number one priority. Hopefully, no one would end up hurt. Hopefully, Nagito was not planning to hurt someone.  
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Night One/ First Shift

"You used that word? Exactly?"

"Yeah… I did".

Fuyuhiko and Hajime sat on the floor atop their makeshift beds. The others fell asleep a few hours ago leaving the two to start their night watch. To pass the time, they made small talk, the current topic being Hajime's confession.

"Since when did you jump from like, to that?"

"When I started getting to know her, in there. But everything else came first, of course. Besides, I was still nervous then".

His friend could not help but smile and congratulate himself. His half assed idea turned out to be a matchmaking success.

"Hey!" Akane's body shot up, her attempt at whispering almost turning into yelling. "Mind your own damn business!"

"Go back to sleep". Fuyuhiko spoke back as quietly as possible. Before the ghosts get you".

"You don't want to do that". Hajime sighed, shaking his head as the two of them watched Akane stand. She started walking towards Fuyuhiko, cracking her knuckles as she approached.

"I'm going to rip your good eye out of it's socket, if you don't shut the HELL UP!" she gripped Fuyuhiko by the shoulder and lifted him as she leaned in, spitting venom into his ear. He only giggled in reply. Beside them, Hajime stared into space to avoid involvement.  
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Night One/ Second Shift

"I did?"

"yes, you did".

Sonia and Akane conversed quietly as the others slept, they shared a seat on Nagito's empty pod, a short distance from where the boys slept.

"I can't see it". Akane was oblivious to the point her friend was making. She shook her head confidently, however. Sonia tried to make it simple for her to understand.

"Well… let us see… how would you feel if, you thought Hajime liked another girl? Could you have said anything to him then?"

"About what?"

Sonia closed her eyes as her fingernails roughly went over the back of her head. This effort was seeming to be a lost cause. She shrugged, smiling at Akane, who smiled back. Looking over towards her resting companions she could see Hajime waving her off before he rolled onto his side. He was telling her to give up, something she was going to do anyway.

"Well anyway, I'm very happy for you, Akane". Sonia can tell that Akane was incredibly happy about how it all played out. She could not help but feel a little jealous, she wanted what Akane had. A relationship with the one she loved.  
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Night Two/ First Shift

"Do you think you could make a boat?"

"I can make a boat, it's not going to be anything you'd see at a fancy ass dealership, though. I do not have the materials to make anything too extravagant. What kind did you have in mind?"

"One with a motor, to travel in between the islands, there are six in total, counting the one we're on. The other five could have useful equipment".

"So, I would have to build a motor, and a boat. I think we might have enough junk lying around to do that".

Hajime and Kazuichi had just settled on building a boat. They talked more about it, discussing what it's primary use would be. For the most part, it would be used to travel to the nearby islands and scavenge for anything of use. Any other reasons would present themselves eventually.

"Oh, I've got an idea. We could ditch Nagito on another island".

"Why?"

"Because it's Nagito".

"I don't think it would end there. He'd probably find his own fully functioning boat and come back".

"Come on, nobody can be that lucky".

Hajime looked at his friend with a brow raised. His only response was a shrug. Silence ensured, engulfing the room. The only sound heard was the light humming of the machinery around them. He closed his eyes to relax. Kazuichi did the same, pulling down his beanie so that the brim was over his eyes, every now and then one of them would say a word to make sure the other was awake.  
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"They really are committed, aren't they?" Nagito spoke to himself as he slowly moved his fingers across his stump. The skin there was extremely rough, comparable to jagged stone. A slight amount of pain still lingered, a constant reminder of his self-inflicted burn wound. "I can wait".

He leaned against the wall of the control room's building, soaking in the cold night air. As he said, he was completely fine with having to wait. He had a plan in mind, but that plan did not include getting caught. He thought about acting on it tonight, which was why he hovered around the building now.

"It'll happen sooner or later, with my luck, it could go either way".


	12. HASTILY MADE PLANS

'What would you think about this…' Hajime wished he could ask for their opinion, but it was an impossible wish. Conflict was churning within, whether to show mercy towards Nagito. He did not want to bring harsh judgment on him, but if Nagito was intent on harming someone, he would have to be prepared to put him down. It felt wrong to even consider that. Killing someone, justifiable or not. 'I can't help but think. That you would give him a chance'.

If he could be reformed it would probably take some doing. But nothing was impossible. Luckily for Hajime, this decision was not his alone to make. He had the others' opinions to consider as well.

After probing their feelings, it was made clear that Nagito was not liked. Popular opinion was that he be incarcerated in some way. Locked away or tied up, it did not really matter if he was restrained. Personal feelings aside, Hajime could not help but think that to be unfair. Being here on this island was a chance for a better life, a chance to change for the better. They all had equal right to this opportunity.

"After we find him, we can find out what his intentions are. We'll make a decision then".

"So, you're willing to let him walk around unattended?" Sonia was the first to respond, her question speaking for them collectively. The others said nothing, waiting for an answer.

"We don't have to be accustomed to death anymore". The rebuttal struck a vein of guilt in everyone, even himself. "I want to believe he knows that as well".

"And if he doesn't care about that, what then?" Fuyuhiko spoke next.

"Then we deal with him. Without anyone getting hurt".

"And you can assume that? Nobody would get hurt at all?" Kazuichi voiced his doubts. "Him included?"

"I think I know how I can reason with him. Convince him to behave". Hajime received a few looks of concern. "I'll talk to him alone- "

"No! I mean… I… that's dangerous, isn't it?" Akane sprung at the chance to oppose his idea. She was worried for his safety, that worry only strengthened by his lack of reassurance.

"It'll be okay". Was all he could think to say.

"And when did you plan on doing this?" Fuyuhiko interrupted.

"I don't know…"

That was a lie. He played his cards close to his chest, to keep the others uninvolved in his plan. He said he wanted to talk to Nagito, but he did not mention it would be on his own terms. He was not planning on finding him, he was planning on being found. He figured, that if he wandered the island alone and in the dead of night, it might give Nagito the urge to attack.

"Let's just leave this discussion for another time". Hajime wanted to kill the conversation. Nightfall was upon them, and he had his mind set on acting on his plan tonight. "Who's on watch tonight?"

"That'd be us". Kazuichi said, with his arm resting on Akane's shoulder. Inside, Hajime smiled, an opportunity presenting itself.

"Kazuichi, why don't I sit in for you instead? I'm felling wide awake". Another lie. He hasn't been sleeping well as of late and was feeling especially worn out today.

"You don't have to ask me twice!" Kazuichi wasted no time in taking the offer. Flashing his sharky grin, he clapped his hands together before waiting over to his bed. Throwing himself onto his blankets, he raised a thumb up before shouting, "Thanks, Hajime!"

"It's no problem at all".  
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"Hm?" Something did not feel right. She tried to keep her eyes shut, to rest like he offered. While she would like to continue her relaxing, a nagging feeling in her gut just would not go away. Her nose even started twitching, and that was when she finally noticed. A familiar scent had suddenly disappeared.

"Hajime?" Her eyes opened to see that he was gone. She sprung up in an instant, slowly moving around the room, quietly calling his name. to no avail she continued poking around, nervousness started to kick in. "Hajime!"

"Huh?" Fuyuhiko's body shot up, startled by Akane's sudden shout. His head swivelled back and forth, slowly and still half asleep. He started falling asleep again, still sitting up, before he was started once again by her shouting. "What's… going… on?"

He stood up, eyes fluttering, trying to jumpstart himself awake. Dragging himself along, he bumped into a few of the pods as he walked to the source of the noise.

"Akane?... the hell are you shouting for?"

"He told me I could take a breath, so I did! My eyes were only closed for a few minutes, and he disappeared!"

"He's probably just outside…" He groaned. Struggling to keep his eyes open. Sluggishly, he shuffled over to the room's double door and lightly gripped one of the handles. There was immediate resistance when he tugged at the handle as the sound of rattling metal came from the other side. "Goddamn piece of… there's something blocking the door".

He started pulling at the door with more force, Akane joining him by grabbing the other handle. Neither door still would not budge, only thrashing in place as they struggled.

"What's with all the noooiiissseee!?" An annoyed shout came from Kazuichi across the room. He and Sonia were awakened by the racket being made by the shaking door, to which they both approached slowly. "What're you doing?"

"Hajime is gone, and we're locked in…" Fuyuhiko mumbled, wiping a line of drool off his face.

"I need you guys to wake up!" Akane shouted, clapping her hands over and over.  
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"What were you doing, wandering around by yourself? Don't you know how dangerous that could be?"

"I was looking for you".

"Really? Then my luck must be as reliable as ever! I have been waiting for a chance like this, but you are all being keen in making sure something like this did not happen. I am sorry about your head, by the way. But not that much".

"We need to talk".

"Don't think you can demand anything from me. You are the one tied up, after all. Ahahahaha… maybe this will be easier than I thought. And I figured that you would give me the most trouble".

"I don't want any trouble".

"Oh? Then tell what it is that you want".

"I just want to prove to you, that we can live here together… free from Despair".


	13. ULTIMATE HOPE

"Free from Despair?" Nagito seemed to be surprised by his statement. He knelt on one knee, eyeing him with his head cocked sideways. He was indeed fond of Hope, but Hajime did not think that his attention would be gained so easily. "The only way that could happen, is if I got rid of you all, right?"

"Do you understand that the 'school trip', wasn't real?"

"You're changing the subject already?" He chuckled, seeing that Hajime was trying to control the conversation. "Of course, I do. I may be garbage, but I am not completely stupid. I'm alive, after all".

"So, you should also understand that we don't need to kill each other to survive". He only laughed at his words. His laugher was irritating, but it would need to be overlooked for the time being. Hajime sat still, waiting for the laughter to cease before speaking again. "You don't need to hurt anyone".

'You're never going to make any progress talking like that. You sound bland. Generic. Boring'. Hajime's eyes widen at the sound of his own voice echoing in the back of his head. The tone was stern and condescending, commanding attention. Nagito's own expression went blank as he watched Hajime experience what looked like an anxiety attack.

'Let me do the talking'.

"No!" Nagito jumped back, caught off guard by his sudden yell. Hajime's stomach rose and fell quickly, bends of sweat dripping from his forehead as he fell over onto his side. "I don't want to… I don't want to… disappear…"

"Disappear? I'm not going to kill you just yet".

'He will kill you, kill us. I have already given you aid before. You would not have lasted that long fighting her without my help'. Hajime sat himself back up slowly, closing his eyes when he heard Nagito's laugh reach his ears again. His head was pounding, this throbbing self-induced headache only got stronger as he argued with 'Himself'.

"As an ultimate, I can't help but pity you. Hold tight, I'll be back with some water". Nagito stood up to leave the room, but not before tightening the rope around Hajime's wrists and ankles. The knots holding him had just been tightened, it saw it himself. Which was why it surprised him greatly when he felt the rope around his wrists come undone.

'All the talents in the world are yours, even luck. It would be idiotic to not make use of what you have'.

"I am not Izuru… Kamakura". He spoke to himself again, undoing the rope around his ankles by simply tugging at one of the ends. "So, tell me what you would say… just this once…"

'Finally, something that might be able to hold my interest'.  
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"If he dies, I'll kill him…" Akane was clearly frustrated that she could not go find Hajime or even get the door open.

"He's not going to die". Fuyuhiko was the first to respond.

"Are you sure you can't get the door open?" Sonia was next.

"I think he hid all of my tool. I can't find anything to work with".

The four of them were still trapped, Kazuichi talking to Akane to pass time. Sonia and Fuyuhiko were pacing around the room, filling the air with occasional yawns. They were forced to give up their attempts at leaving and wait until Hajime returned. And that was a reasonably sized 'if'.

"Fuck this. I'm going back to my bed". The others silently watched Fuyuhiko return to his bed, grumbling as he threw his covers over himself. He stared at the ceiling as he laid there, unable to fall back asleep as he wanted.  
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'I am your thoughts… you are my voice'.

"Aha… ah! Ahahahaha! How exciting!"

Hajime was currently restraining Nagito with the same rope that had previously bound him. The Ultimate Lucky Student was laughing hysterically as his clothes soaked up the spilt water on the floor beneath him. He had returned with a bowl of the liquid as promised and was immediately amused by his own prisoner. He was now tied up himself, laying flat on his stomach.

"Someone like you is so predictable. You are very boring". Hajime's monotone voice brought Nagito to silence.

Grunting, he turned his head just enough so that he could see Hajime out of the corner of his eye. His appearance was now very condescending, looking down on him as he presses his right foot onto his lower back.

"What was that? Say that again!" His voice carried a great amount of excitement in it is time. He thrashed about on the floor, causing Hajime to step back. Like he was in a hurry, Nagito sat himself up, eyes widen as he waited to hear it again.

"There's no reason for me to repeat myself". He seemed equally satisfied hearing these words. He giggled and bounced in place, eyes rapidly looking up and down Hajime's body.

"Is that really you? You said we wouldn't meet again!"

"I'm surprised to say I was wrong".

"I can't believe it! Ahaha, this whole time, it was you!"

"Now are you willing to listen?"

"Of course, of course! Anything you have to say, I'm listening!"  
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"You're going to hurt yourself! Akane!" Sonia shouted as she watched her friend charge at the metal door, driving her fist into it is surface. The Gymnast repeatedly slammed her knuckles onto the metal doors, breathing heavily while she kept a constant pace.

"Hey, how well do you think the door hinges are attached?" Fuyuhiko poked Kazuichi with his elbow, they both flinched as they continued watching Akane try to beat the door down.

"Can't be that good, by now". He answered, wincing as he saw Akane stop and clutch her left wrist. Her hand was shaking as it hung down, sprained. However, she only grits her teeth as she opted to start kicking the door instead.

"Come help me out…" He said hesitantly, slowly walking towards their struggling friend. Kazuichi followed, after letting out a loud sigh.

The two boys joined in the beating of the double doors, one kicking, the others throwing their entire bodies at it. even Sonia joined in, letting her feet fall on the door as well. The three of them had decided to help their friend in her painful effort, something that was not lost on Akane. She smiled as she took a few reassuring breaths and went back at it with full force.  
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"What was your title?" Nagito felt like a child being told a story. As he heard the details behind what he was told was the 'Hope Cultivation Project', he was ecstatic. To think that Hajime Hinata was not the worthless, talentless person he had thought he was, it really held his attention well. "Well, Izuru?"

"Hajime". those words were his own. Nagito only shrugged, not caring about what name he would rather be called. "Do you agree upon what we discussed earlier?"

"Yes!"

"How can I believe you?"

"Because I believe you! When you say that helping the others overcome their Despair will inspire great Hope, I believe that, and I won't to see it!"

'There. As predictable as I thought. Hopefully, the others will be more interesting'.

"Now will you tell me? Since you ARE an Ultimate, I need to know your title".

The voice of Izuru had ceased guiding him in speaking. This situation had been resolved, and he was no longer needed. All that was needed to sway Nagito was a clear mind and a silver tongue. Not that he was lying about what he said though. Dealing with the others would bring about Hope, and that was all he needed to convince him. Telling about Izuru Kamakura was the lock that sealed the deal.

"The title they gave me…" Nagito shook his head up and down silently waiting. "The title they gave me was… Ultimate Hope".

He seemed shocked when he heard it. it was hard to tell what he was thinking. He looked disappointed in some way, maybe even a bit jealous. And then, he smiled.

"If it means anything, I'm sorry about the trying to kill you thing".


	14. AFTERWARDS

"You didn't knock me out".

"Mhm".

"You didn't tie me up".

"Okay".

"You definitely didn't plan on threatening my life".

"Of course not. Why is this important again?"

"If they find out you tried to hurt me, they will tear you apart".

"Fair enough".

The two of them had just emerged from their 'interrogation' room, the office that was in the hotel's secondary building. After cleaning the air and establishing how Nagito would 'explain' what happened, Hajime fell silent. Looking back at what had transpired within his own mind left him puzzled.

He was now greatly confused. It had seemed, at least when talking to Nagito, that he and Izuru were separate from each other. But he could distinctly recall a short conversation he had with Kazuichi awhile back that would say otherwise.

'I need some help here, you still have a bit of Izuru in you, right?'

'We're one in the same, so yeah, I guess so? why?'

"Are you alright?" Nagito asked him, having seen his eyes go wide.

Hajime drew in a deep breath before looking back at him, with a clearly fake smile. The two kept walking and were now close to where all their friends were locked away. As the two of them walked towards the building, Hajime stopped when he saw that the left door was missing. Nagito stopped as well, a few stops behind him.

Hajime broke into a sprint, leaving Nagito behind. He stopped at the door and peeked his head inside. The missing door was there, off it's hinges and placed against the wall.

"Guys? Are you in here?" He said quietly, the rest of the room was dark, barely illuminated by the light coming from the capsules. He stood there, still leaning in halfway. Behind him he could hear Nagito finally catching up and stopping behind him. He copied him, leaning in at the same angle, his head barely able to look past Hajime's.

"Hello?" Nagito spoke normally, his voice easily carried by the rooms acoustics. In the darkness of the control room a gasp was heard, followed by a grunt. Along with all of that, Hajime could hear a light whirling sound. His eyebrows shot up, realizing that something had been thrown.

"Ah!" Hajime was hit in the face by a flying wrench. The small tool had appeared out of nowhere, catching him by surprise.

"Hajime?" Akane's voice came from out of the dark with a surprised tone. At that moment, the lights came on. Huddled together were the two girls and Fuyuhiko, with Kazuichi across the room controlling the lights. They all gasped as they saw hajime sprawled out on the floor while Nagito stood there, scratching his head.

"I think you knocked him out, Izuru? Can you hear me?" Nagito kneeled and poked the back of his head, with no response in return. Flipping him off his stomach he laughed at the large red mark left on the centre of the forehand.

"Don't touch him! That was supposed to be you!" He turned to look at Akane, who was now struggling to stand up. She used Sonia to help support her left side, her left ankle in too much pain to stand on. Her left hand hung down lifelessly and her right held another wrench, larger and heavier than the last. Without warning she let the tool fly, aiming for whatever part of Nagito she could hit. He threw his body back out the door, narrowly avoiding being hit.

"Kazuichi, can you- "

"I'm on it",

He interrupted Sonia and quickly walked towards his unconscious friend.

"Back up, man". He pointed at Nagito, when raised both of his arms in the air. Without taking his eyes away from his, Kazuichi dragged Hajime to the nearest capsule, and sat him up against it. Hajime's head immediately fell over to his right, causing him to fall over. His head hit the ground with a heavy thud. "Aw, dammit… sorry about that".

"If he had hid the tools better this wouldn't have happened". Fuyuhiko laughed, somehow finding a way to blame Hajime for what happened to himself.  
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"Sorry about this… but I got to do this". Kazuichi was adjusting the lock on Nagito's cottage, so that it could be locked from the outside. This was something that they had agreed on doing without Hajime's opinion, at least until further notice.

"It's alright, I understand". He was sitting on his bed watching him work, waiting for him to be done so he could sleep. With all that had happened, it was surprisingly still very dark outside.

"When Hajime wakes up, if he says so, I'll change the lock back. Someone will come by in the morning and let you out. Until then", Kazuichi cut himself off by shutting the door and locking it. He shuddered shortly after, his nervousness letting itself out.

"Hey Kazuichi, help me out over here". Fuyuhiko caught his attention, asking for help in carrying Hajime's limp body. He walked over without question, taking his free arm and slinging it over his shoulder. "Alright… let's go".

"Wait, his room is this way".

"Akane wants him in her room".

"Huh?"

"c'mon man, I don't feel like arguing about this". The two brought Hajime to Akane's cottage, and then stopped again before heading inside.

"Where do we put him?"

"On the bed, you idiot. What would you rather do, leave him on the floor? Maybe we should leave the door open while we're at it?"

"My head hurts…" Hajime mumbled under his breath, and in his still unconscious state.

"I know it does, buddy. But we're going to put you on the hard ground, because grandpa Kazuichi can't stand the idea of you laying in bed with a girl", Fuyuhiko talked sarcastically. With a tone you might use when speaking to a child. Kazuichi couldn't help but laugh as he complied with setting him on the bed. "Go and help Sonia. She's still helping Akane walk over here. I'm going to bed".

"Aye Aye, sir!" Kazuichi straightened his posture, saluting Fuyuhiko as he stood there with an even more irritated look on his face.

"My head hurts…" Hajime grunted this time, rolling over on the bed so he was on his stomach.

"Sorry" Kazuichi said. Fuyuhiko shot his bright haired friend one last glare before quickly leaving, in a hurry to get some sleep.


	15. NOTHING BUT LUCK

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUTHOR'S NOTE: chapters 15, 16 and 17 take place at the same time but through difference perspectives. 15 is Nagito, 16 is Akane & Hajime and 17 is Kazuichi, Sonia & Fuyuhiko.

"Right, so you're free now… um… there's breakfast… at the restaurant". Kazuichi had locked eyes with Nagito, who was sitting still on his bed. The sun had rose a few hours ago, however people were just now waking up. The only people who were still asleep were Akane and Hajime, and the others didn't want to disturb them again, Kazuichi had already tried, and received a very convincing threat from the Ultimate Gymnast that would make anyone uneasy. "So, I'm leaving now… see you later… I guess".

It was awkward trying to talk to Nagito like everything was normal. It wasn't showing right now, but there was a side to him that just couldn't be forgotten. His twisted point of view was enough to drive him to kill even himself after all. Kazuichi felt like it was wrong to allow him to walk about freely, as did the others. The only reason that he wasn't tied up right now was that Hajime had brought him back. They didn't know how it happened, but until they did, they would exercise caution around him.

"Wait, where are you going?" The Mechanic flinched when he was stopped from leaving as he wanted. He turned around, and his eyes locked on to Nagito's once again.

"I've got to… go back over there. Where everyone else is still laid up! I-I'll see you later!" He didn't give a chance to stop him again, turning his back to Nagito and started running as fast as he could. Nagito stood up from his bed and went to his door, where he could see Kazuichi running out of the hotel grounds in the direction of the control room.  
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"Look, I just want to eat some food, and go back to bed. Just, go and do whatever. As long as you show up tonight so someone can lock you up again".

Fuyuhiko had told him off when he had asked how the day would be spent. Before telling him to go away, all he really said was that nothing happens until the next person wakes up. It could be assumed that if he tried to interact with anyone to pass the time, they would act nervously, and maybe even run away like Kazuichi did.

"The day to myself, hm?" After talking to Fuyuhiko at the restaurant, Nagito had quickly returned to his cottage without eating. The idea of a free day brought a small bit of excitement, and he wanted to make the make the best of the time he had. Thoughts going by quickly, he had decided to stop at the beach first. As close and accessible as it was, it made for an easy first choice.

"It'll be just like the first day", he talked to himself as he walked to his destination, recalling the brief time everyone swarmed at the beginning of the 'school trip'. He remembered that the skies suddenly became pitch black, at the series of events that would come after. That was the exact point in time when things all went south. "It's almost ironic".

He stopped as soon as he felt the sand beneath his feet. Unlike that moment, the sky was bright and blue, free of all clouds. And he was alone. This couldn't be any farther from the moment as it already was. As he started walking towards the shore he started to undress. First his jacket, then his shirt. Then came his socks and shoes, his pants remaining. He left his now folded clothes under a palm tree and rolled up his pants legs as tightly as he could, stopping just above his knees.

The water was unbelievably cold. And that was just the tide rolling over his bare feet. As he walked against and into the waves it only became colder, a welcoming feeling as the hot sun beamed down on his pale skin. He quickly found the best position to enjoy himself, floating on his back, eyes closed.

He became unaware of where the waters were carrying him. Unable to notice anything except the gentle rocking of his body atop the waves.  
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"Where are my- " After some time, about twenty-five minutes, Nagito had ended up ashore. He was thrown off, not seeing his clothes or the palm tree he had left them under. Trudging through the sand he could notice that this seemed like a different beach. There were no trees here, and the road leading to the hotel was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh no… Ha! Hahahaha! Ahahaha!" He couldn't control his laughter. He had in fact, drifted far away from where he had come from. If he wasn't at another beach on the same island, then he was at a beach of another island entirely. "It didn't even feel like I was floating that long! IZURU! KAZUICHI!"

He called out their names in case they happened to be in earshot. There was no answer. He laughed again and continued walking down the beach. The sand was getting deeper as he moved away from the shore, his feet almost becoming covered in the grains.

"Ow", his toe had hit something beneath a mound of sand he was walking by. He tripped over and fell as well, covering his still clamp body in the rough substance. "What?"

He lifted his feet and brought it down on the mound with a thud. He was expecting his leg to go through, surprised that it stopped at the surface. Getting on his knees he began brushing away the sand with his right hand.

"A boat!" Is what he found after a considerate amount of cleaning. It was a rowboat, oars and all. Along with that was a clear white shopping bag that held what were probably someone's supplies for a day on the water. Inside were a few water bottles and some now very rotten fruits. He tossed the food aside and threw the bottles onto the boat before moving on.

Feet finally off the sand, Nagito was met with a rather dense patch of trees. He wanted to continue moving forward but couldn't help but feel that he was being watched. Casting aside his nervousness he took a step forward, only to wish that he hadn't.

Form the lowest branch of the nearest tree a snake was now hanging down. It's body and head were both massive for such a creature, the word 'giant' being the perfect descriptive term. Nagito froze as it fell to the ground, revealing the extra five or so foot that hid in the tree branches.

And then it started chasing him.

He spun on his heels as the animal shot forward. He ran back towards the beach, peeking back to see his pursuer as he moved. When he came to the boat, he rammed into the back of it, pushing it forward as fast as he possible.

'The water!' Was the only escape he could think of as he continued moving the boat across the small dunes of sand. Luckily enough for him the boat was made to be exceptionally light, it's metal easily sliding it's way to the shore.

As soon as the band hit the water he tried to jump in, falling on his back with his left leg hanging out. He smiled, happy that he made it, until he felt a slimy feeling take over his leg. Sitting up and peeking over the edge, he could see the snake, it's mouth wrapped around his limb. It moved up and up his leg, stopped a few inches from his knee.

"Oh, poor thing. You don't have any teeth?" The 'bite' didn't hurt at all. He thought it felt more like he was wearing a wet sock. "Let go, little guy. You're going to drown if you follow me out here. Come on, shoo!"

He lifted one of the oars and poked it on the nose. Again, and again. As the boat floated further out the snake loosened the hold it had on him. Eventually it slipped off after being urged by a few waves. Nagito quickly brought in his leg, and then stood up to watch the large serpent swim back to shore.

And now he was drifting on the water again.  
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Nagito's eyes were currently darting back and forth between his stump and the set of oars. If he had tried to do so, rowing with one arm would cause him to go in circles. And trying to row on the right and left sides with only one arm would leave him easily exhausted.

*Splash! * He flinched at the sound. The feeling of cold water splashing onto his torso brought his attention away from his lack of an arm, and the water. Under his vessel he bare witness to a school of fish, the type of which he didn't recognise. It was a slight to behold, observing them as they swam together, breaching the water to jump towards the sky.

But it quickly became overwhelming. Suddenly there were fish jumping all around him, some even landing inside the boat. One after another the fish surrendered their lives, filling the boat in a matter of minutes.  
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"Where is this guy?" Kazuichi had been waiting for awhile to lock up Nagito, but he hadn't shown up yet, he was beginning to grow suspicious of him. Could he have been planning something against the rest of them?

"Ha… hah… I'm here", He heard Nagito's voice coming from near the gates, along with a loud scraping sound. The Ultimate Lucky Student slowly rounded the corner… dragging half of a metal boat around him. He stopped pulling it at the midpoint between the cottages and pulled his folded clothes and shoes out of the useless piece of metal. He slowly limped post Kazuichi and into his room, slamming the door behind him.

"What… what the hell happened to him?" The remaining half of the boat was filled with dead fish, and had smoke coming from where it was separated from its other half, which seemed to have been burnt as well. "What has he been doing all day!?"


	16. RECOVERY

"Rise and shine, lovebirds! It's morning", Kazuichi tapped his knuckles against Akane's cottage door with a fast flick in his wrist. His knocking was nonstop and continuously rapid, not wanting to leave without some sort of response.

Behind the closed door, Akane was sitting up atop her mattress, wincing at the displeasure her aching joints brought. Next to her was Hajime, still asleep on his side. He was giving clear signs of discomfort as he laid there, his body shaking as he let out occasional spurts of laboured breathing. She placed her palm on his hip, flinching as she heard another knock on her door.

"Keep knocking, and I'll chop your damn hand off!" Her loud threat was enough to cause Kazuichi to yelp, his persistent knocking immediately ceasing. Hajime was also affected, now on his back, eyes cracked open. His face was glowing, both cheeks a bright pink, as well as covered in a layer of sweat.

"O-Okay! Alright! I'm going to let Nagito out now, and then I'll be with the pods if you need me", he spoke fast, surprisingly without error before his steps marked his leave. It wasn't long before silence engulfed the room. Again, and it wasn't long before Hajime spoke.

"It happened again?" His voice was low, but as quiet as it was, he might as well have been speaking at full volume.

"Sorry… I can leave. If you-"

"Stay, please". In the tangled mess of sheets and blankets his left hand found her right. His hand was incredibly hot, that warmth increasing when their fingers intertwined. She turned to look at him, and saw his eyes closed again, "I heard you couldn't walk last night. Are you hurt?"

"Ah. My ankle and my wrist. Wrist still hurts… but my ankle feels fine now".

"And that's from breaking down the door?"

"Mhm."

"So, it's my fault then…"

"No, it's not! So, you don't hate me then? For knocking you out again?"

"I've already told you how I feel about you. A simple mistake wouldn't change that".

She felt even warmer now. It was an awkward feeling to have, though. Girly. She felt girly. So, she cleared her throat, as if that would do anything. She didn't have the time to feel that way anyhow. at least, that's how she felt. Besides, she'd rather know how he was feeling, what it could be that was making him shake in his sleep.

"Are you alright, Hajime?"

"Yeah, I'm fine".

Liar. It took everything she had to hold back from punching him in the face. He wasn't making a good case for himself either, answering so quickly. She bit her lip as she let herself fall backwards, her head landing on the pillow she was sharing with him.

"Even I can tell that you're full of it".

"Can you, how so?"

"You were shaking in your sleep. Breathing heavy, too".

He didn't say anything at that. He stopped thinking completely. She didn't know what was on his mind, but she had the common sense to pick up that something was going on in there.

"I think I'm going to get something to eat". He said dryly, his body even rose slowly, like a corpse reanimating. Their hands disconnected even slower, that shared warmth quickly succumbing to an unwelcoming cold. She sat up quickly, to say something to stop him.

"Don't give me some shitty excuse!"

"Wouldn't you like to eat something?"

"That can wait, dammit!" He never imagined that she would turn down a meal so easily. He turned his head to look at her, stopping at about halfway.

"Chiaki…" She tensed up as he spoke her name. she almost choked on her own breath too, pushing a lump down her throat. It hurt just to think about her, so there was at least some understanding to why she was getting to him. "This has to do with her, kind of".

He sat in silence in case she said something. She couldn't. it was tough enough to get him to talk, and she didn't want to push it. He sighed when he realized that the floor was still his.

"I've been at odds with myself since we woke up from the school trip, this person… me… who I am now. This talented person… I don't want to be like this". She was confused now more than ever.

'Izuru? What does that have to do with-' She barely understood the whole Izuru Kamakura situation, but she kept listening, just for the sake of doing so.

"I watched her… I watched her die. As Izuru I just stood there. She was right in front of him, crying, in pain. With all of talents, all his abilities, he just stood by and watched. I've been trying to deny it recently, but I can't change the fact that I AM him. And I hate myself for it".

So that was it. He was feeling guilty over the death of their friend, Chiaki Nanami. The more Akane thought about it the more she remembered what it looked like. Her death was a gruesome stain on the group's shared history, but she didn't expect Hajime to be hit so hard by it.

"It'll be a long time before I can say that to anyone else…"

"It's alright. I'm not going to tell anyone".

"Thank you".

Without objection she pulled him back into a laying position, his face was buried deep in her chest, not enough to suffocate but enough to use as a pillow. Her scent was calming him as he breathed it in, he moved his head, pressing his ear against her skin, her strong heartbeat playing like a metronome.

"If you tell anyone about what we're doing".

"Right, right… I figured as much". He laughed quietly, the sound bringing a smile to her face. She didn't end up giving him any solution to his inner dilemma, but she was glad she could provide some sort of comfort. "But I will say, this feels a lot better than the last time". Referring to the time Akane elbowed him in the face.

They both started to fall back asleep, silence filling the air again. They both settled deeper into their positions, Hajime ever being so bold to wrap an arm around her waist. Akane closed her eyes, only for them to shoot open when he rolled over, pulling her with him and onto her side. Now face to face, he chose to ask something.

"So… why did you try so hard to get those doors open?" She looked embarrassed, holding on to her answer for a few seconds.

"I thought Nagito would kill you!"

"No faith in me, huh?"

"Ah, shut up!" They both laughed, letting the air settle once more. "I know I didn't really help you solve your problem, but as long as we're together, I'll always be there to run that red light with you".

"Ha… thank you, I mean it…"


	17. BAD MEMORIES

"Look, I just want to eat some food, and go back to bed. Just go and do whatever. As long as you show up tonight so someone can lock you up again". Fuyuhiko rolled his eyes at Nagito, who had interrupted his meal, he just stood there, though, like he was waiting to hear anything else. And it only made him angrier that Nagito was still hovering around him silently. He raised his left arm and index finger, wagging it slowly as he prepared his next words.

"Nothing is going to happen until the next one wakes up. Until then, we just… live, or whatever". He picked up where he left off, now chewing on a glob of rice.

"I'm sorry for bothering you, I'll be going now". He said very plainly, his body moving to leave, before he was stopped by Fuyuhiko.

"Hey, just because I'm acting like an asshole doesn't mean you have to leave without something to eat".

"I was about to say that!" Sonia yelled out from the kitchen, the clanging of pots and pans heard after.

"No… I'm alright. Thank you, though". He left after that, quickly too. Fuyuhiko kept his eyes on the stairs for awhile after he left, shrugging it off to bring his attention back to his meal.

"Where'd he go?" Sonia come out of the kitchen with a plate of food meant for Nagito, stopping when she saw he wasn't there.

"He said no thanks. Just throw it on Akane's plate. God knows she won't mind. Sonia stood there for a few seconds before moving to a nearby table with two plates on it. one was meant for Hajime, a normal amount of food on the dish. The other was meant for Akane and had what looked like enough food for six people on it. Sonia quickly headed back into the kitchen with the dirty dish, leaving him to sit again in silence.

"GOD DAMMIT! SHIT! MOTHERFUCKER!" Her voice came from the kitchen again after a thud, and the sound of something shattering. Fuyuhiko choked on his food, surprised by her sudden explosive outburst. Painfully pushing the food down his throat, he stands up from his seat, moving to go and check on her.

He stopped at the door to the kitchen, seeing on the floor. Around her, were the scattered remains of the ceramic plate she was carrying. All that fuss, over a broken plate? He couldn't help but laugh at her.

"You shouldn't scream that loud. I thought you hurt yourself". He took a step forward, now laughing at the string of curse words she used when she fell. As he reached out to give her a hand, he lost his footing. He slipped, because of the wet ground beneath him.

"SON OF A BITCH!" He landed on his back, hard.

"Be careful", Sonia said. Fuyuhiko sat up, arching his back as he did. "I think the floor may be a little wet".  
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"Nah… I can't. can I? No, I can't. but maybe…" To no other reason but being bored, Kazuichi had started exploring the control room building more thoroughly. The storage room, to be specific. And hidden away, as well as possible, was a digital camera. He became rather excited when he found it but was put off at further glance of the item. On the front lens of the camera was a red sticky note with heavy black ink scribbled on.

'I have decided to leave this decision to you. You decide whether to delete these photos or not. VIEW AT YOUR OWN RISK. Makoto Naegi'.

The note was written in all capitals at the end to further convey it's seriousness. Ever so slightly, the message was having the opposite effect on him. Before the next thought could go through his head the camera was on. He was surprised to see the saved photographs instantly appear onto the screen.

"Oh…" His arms started shaking as soon as he saw it. there was a heavy feeling washing down his body, almost locking him in place. Breaths grow rapid, his chest rising and falling the more he stared at the picture. Mindlessly, he went to the next one. It was worse than the previous one. The heavy feeling shot through him again, resonating in his chest as his heartbeat got faster and faster.

Look away.

He kept going, feeling in some way that he was obligated to do so. The images were horrid, some worse than others, all of them having the same effort on him. They induced fear. Sadness. Disgust.

Despair.

Look away.

He couldn't. So, he did the only thing he could do. He let the camera slip out of his hands. It hit his feet as it fell, landing on the ground with a deck that echoed in his eardrums. The battery had been knocked loose, the device now off once again. He shuddered, whimpering as he let his body fall to the floor. Inches from his face was the camera.

Later he would hide the camera, better than it was before. He would also decide not to tell the others. Just in case, he made sure to re-attach the note as well.  
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"I feel like I have to ask you this". Sonia said as she walked down the restaurant stairs, Fuyuhiko a few steps ahead. He let out a sigh, and she could just imagine that his face was contorting to show his irritation.

"Why do we have to carry this damn food, just for them?" Was what he said. He ignored her almost completely, his eye fixated on the giant mound of substance piled atop the ceramic plate he held.

"Ah", she stopped herself when she realized that he didn't say something like, 'go ahead, ask me anything'. "They didn't come out to eat, so we have to take care of them. As their friends… right?"

She found herself asking a different question than the one she intended.

"I'm not doing any shit like that". They were walking past the pool now, and on the water's reflection she could see that his face was straight. "You're doing that. Just because I'm helping you carry this; doesn't mean I did anything".

"Are you helping me because we're friends? We are friends… right?"

"I'm helping you because you asked. If I did it without being asked, then I'd be like that. Open up!" They stopped in front of Akane's cottage door, Fuyuhiko yelling instead of knocking. The call was answered quickly, Hajime opened the door and took the delivery even quicker, voicing his and her thanks. The door shut, leaving him and Sonia alone again.

"We're friends". He huffed, turning to her as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "The fact that you had to ask if we were? That's fucking stupid".

"I'm glad to hear that, but I still have that question I was meaning to ask".

"Well that's just too damn bad. I'm talking the night shift in Kazuichi's place, so I'm going to go get some sleep. Now".

He left her hanging, walking to his cottage and shutting himself inside.  
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It took everything he had to not dig up that camera back up. There was an odd attraction to it, to the photos. Like, if he looked long enough, he'd find something that would make seeing all the others worth it. Just one candid image that would make all the others insignificant.

"We're here for a reason…"

That's all he could think of. And that concern wasn't his. He had his own reason as did everyone else. Kazuichi wouldn't hold any of those pictures against her, and he certainly wouldn't treat her any different when she wakes up, if she wakes up. They were classmates after all.

He was grateful that there was someone out there kind enough to give them all a second chance.

"It's quitting time", Fuyuhiko pulled him from his thoughts as he stepped into the room. They exchanged looks, the Yakuza looking him over pitifully. "You look like shit".

"Guess I'm just a little tired". He lied.

"Get out of here then".

"Yeah".

"Oh, and don't forget to lock up Nagito before you go to sleep".


	18. THEORY

It turned back into business as usual after that day of being lazy. Business as usual being that they were still being lazy, doing nothing until their next friend woke. They were all scattered about, in groups of two coincidentally. Hajime was currently stuck with Nagito, who was rambling on in their one-sided conversation.

"Izuru? Izuru!" Nagito waved his stump in his face, knowing now that he was being ignored. Hajime sat there expressionless; his eyes half opened. His head was held up by his left fist, leaning into it with his arm resting on a table. He used the white noise made by the machinery around them to drown out Nagito, but it was starting to give way to his persistence.

"What? What is it?" He lost patience, almost yelling at him as he spoke through his teeth. Nagito smiled and laughed after that, then raised his right hand up halfway. He even waved, for whatever reason.

"Are you okay? You don't look well", he inquired.

"I'm fine. It's just… boring", Hajime's monotone voice almost made him shiver. Instead, he laughed again, pressing his palm against his stomach.

"Wouldn't you say that this is anything but? I was planning to kill you after all".

"Shut up". He barked.

"Sorry, sorry. Don't talk like that, I remember". He didn't seem to care, fittingly. It was clear that his will to keep his prior intentions secret was not that strong. Eventually, maybe even soon, it would slip. It interested Hajime ever so slightly, thinking about how the others would react. And then the interest disappeared once he concluded that any and every response would be negative in nature.

"You look angry". The white-haired boy commented once again, much to Hajime's own disliking. His left hand uncurled, his palm sliding up his head to grasp hard at a clump of hair. He gave Nagito the same emotionless stare, saying nothing, yet saying everything. Nagito smiled plainly, the expression almost as blank as the look he was receiving. "Anything I can do to change that?"

"Stop talking".

"But I like talking to you".

Talking was the wrong word to use. He might as well have been speaking to a brick wall. Maybe he just liked the sound of his own voice.

"So, who do you think will be next?"

"It doesn't matter".

He looked excited now, a wide grin forming across his face. Hajime mentally kicked himself for setting him off and prepared to listen to him spew nonsense again. But he didn't, surprisingly. He only held his smile and giggled to himself.

"I'd like to see someone like Mikan first".

At that, Hajime started tuning him out again. Eventually he did stop talking, once he noticed he wasn't being listened to. A thin vest of silence was now draped over them, waiting to be broken by Nagito once again.  
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"Hey. Kazuichi. Hey!"

Kazuichi flinched when Fuyuhiko shouted in his ear. He stopped what he was doing, flinching again when the tool he was using was grabbed out of his hand. He looked up at Fuyuhiko with a confused and disoriented look.

"I need that…" The Mechanic reached for his instrument, only to have it moved further away. Fuyuhiko eyed hi sternly as he hold the item hostage over his head, watching his friend mindlessly struggle to reclaim it. "Please".

"What's the matter with you?"

"I need that to tighten this last screw. It's the only one that fits".

The pink haired boy held up a small handheld radio, shaking it slowly while pointing at it with his free hand. The screw he was mentioning even fell out, leaving him wanting the tool back even more.

"You made a radio?" Fuyuhiko had enough sense to see that his question wouldn't get answered right this second. He wouldn't give up so easily though, trying to start a side conversation to ease him into speaking.

"Two". He said, now presenting them both. They were both finished, save for the last screw on the second one. Even though he had just completed a project, it looked like he didn't have that accomplished look in his eyes. Clearly, he was trying to work his troubles away.

Fuyuhiko let out a sigh and extended his palm, returning what he had taken. But before Kazuichi could lay a hand on it, it was pulled back. He looked up at his friend once again, who was now looking down on him with an unfamiliar look on his face.

"Talk". His voice was heavy, the tone easily conveying the severity of his demand. Him and the Mechanic were now staring into each other's eyes, the latter still resisting the request. Kazuichi opted out, standing up and walking past his friend, their shoulders bumping as he moved.

"I'll see if I have another one…"  
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It was indeed a strange sight to see. So far, he seemed very distant and unwillingly to talk to him. But as soon as SHE walked into the room it was like night and day. He was smiling brightly, enlightened by her presence.

Nagito almost didn't exist while she was in the same room as him. He just sat there, watching him as he looked up at her. He was barely in her field of view, but even she was sending sideways glances his way. She was acknowledging him, but Hajime was not. At this point, he finally caught on to what was happening.

"Are the two of you together?" He blurted out, startling the two of them. It was a needless question as it was clear as day, but he wanted to hear it from them. Akane was now glaring at him intensely, forcing him into silence. Then, she told Hajime something about seeing him later before leaving as quickly as possible. And even though his back was turned to her, Nagito could still feel her heavy gaze melting into him.

"Is she gone?" He asked hesitantly, trying not to peek over his shoulder in case she wasn't gone. Hajime's face quickly became void of emotion again as he settled back into boredom.

"Yes…"

"Great! Now, we can continue our conversation. I've been thinking about something".

"What is it this time".

"It was a fluke".

Hajime gave him a second look, wondering what he could be referring to. For the first time today, he had piqued his curiosity. Logic dictates that whatever he's about to say will be nonsensical, but he listens anyway.

"Fluke?"

"Me, waking up was a fluke. Don't you think? I mean, wouldn't you think so. We were all comatose, and I just happened to wake up naturally".

Nagito hadn't let him down after all. Thinking about it now was quite interesting, in fact. Most likely, he was correct in his theory.

"You were lucky, extremely lucky".

"So, the others then? They won't be as fortunate?"

"Hmm… I think we need to talk to the others about this".

"Oho, I said something useful, didn't I? You wait here, I'll go get the others".

Without objection Nagito sprung from his seat and ran out of the room, eager to do as he said. Hajime was left alone with his thoughts, trying to find an answer for the new problem laid out before him.


	19. FRUSTRATION

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!?" Hajime had sent Fuyuhiko into a frenzy of confusion and worry. It was surprising to see him react like this. "What so you mean they won't wake up!?"

"Naturally. I said naturally". He looked even more dumbfounded after that, his eyebrows shooting up as high at this could go. He opened his mouth, letting out a grunt when he couldn't find his words. He bit his lip after, quickly approaching Hajime and placing his palms on his shoulders.

"That doesn't make me feel better! Him! How did he wake up then!?" He shook his friend before he pointed at Nagito, the others following the direction to set their eyes on the white-haired boy. It was a good question, seeing as he was able to do exactly what everyone else was apparently unable to.

"Luck". His tone was just about to send the young Yakuza over the edge. He took note of something he'd like to say to Hajime in private. He felt that he wasn't taking the matter as serious as he should be and was about to express that.

"Luck? LUCK!? That's bullshit! You expect me to just believe that he's standing right THERE, right NOW, because of luck!?" letting go of Hajime, he took a step back and pointed at Nagito again. His yelling was bringing the others some concern, save for Kazuichi. He was standing there with an empty expression, his arms crossed tightly.

"I never said they were a lost cause". He spoke before Fuyuhiko could shout again, wanting to deliver the hopefully calming words quickly. "I just wanted everyone to know, that Nagito was the first and last person to wake up naturally".

"You're saying it like you've reached a solid conclusion". Sonia voiced, earning Fuyuhiko's support instantly. Hajime cupped his chin with his left hand, forming his supporting argument in his mind.

"If they could all wake up like Nagito did, I would think that someone else would have by now. I also think that it would've been a domino effect, one after the other, as soon as the first one woke up. Kazuichi? Have any of them moved at all?"

"Everyone has been still as rocks".

"There".

Sonia held up a finger, wanting to deliver a counterpoint, but she couldn't find one.

"But there is still hope, isn't there Izuru?" Nagito waved his stump at him, smiling as awkwardly wide smile.

"There fucking better be. Otherwise, you're telling us this just to piss me off!"

"I can start trying different things as early as tomorrow". Hajime spoke up, clapping his hands together at the last word. Everyone, save for Kazuichi again, looked at him puzzled. "I've already started thinking about different methods".

"Like what?" Akane blurted out mindlessly, too curious not to ask. She apparently spoke for them all, as everyone held their tongues. Hajime did have a clear answer, two to three, to be exact. But he didn't say anything. Worried that if voiced, the 'methods' he proposed would be flagged.

"It's complicated". Was what he said to hopefully avert disaster.

"It better be! Because if you half-ass this I swear to god I'll make you pay for it!"

He stormed off towards the door, letting loose a few curse words as he did. The room quickly fell silent without his angry outbursts, none of the others really having anything to say. Hajime let out a quick breath before he was compelled to go after him, his legs moving almost on their own. Briskly he moved to the door and stopped as soon as he stepped outside.

Fuyuhiko was no further than a few steps away from him, pacing back and forth swiftly. His back was hunched over, and his hands were balled up and shoved deep into his pockets. He was even muttering to himself, the only words that could he heard however, were the vulgar ones. He stopped his movements for a second when he saw Hajime, shaking his head before continuing to pace.

"Just say what you're going to say and get out of my face!" He shouted as he kept moving, wanting him to be home sooner rather than later.

"I get why you're angry", was probably not the best thing to say, no matter how much it was true.

Before he knew it Fuyuhiko had landed a punch on Hajime's jaw. In fact, he let himself be hit. This was something that, in the moment, he fell needed to happen. If he had dodged, intercepted, or anything else his friend's mood would only turn sourer.

"You're not waiting for anyone, so how could you understand!?"

It was just on the line of what he was expecting him to say. Not word for word exactly, but in the same realm at least.

"I just told you that there was no possible way she would wake up on her own. So, I do understand. But I also said that there's still a way". Small beads of blood dripped from the corner of his mouth and rolled down as he talked. It was off putting to see him maintain composure like this, but that was something to ponder on later.

"I know that… but you can't just expect me to be calm about this!"

"I'm not".

He wasn't? That only threw him off even more. Did he just let him have a free hit, too? At this point Fuyuhiko was starting to feel like 'a piece of shit', for going off like he had been. He let out a low groan, letting himself collapse to the ground. Hajime saw the visible change in him and let out a breath of slight relief.

"If you trust me to do it, I can try to wake her tomorrow". His heart skipped a beat at the offer. He wanted to accept, yet he couldn't help being apprehensive to do so. Hajime hadn't done this, whatever he's going to do, to anyone else yet. So, there was no prior reason to show that he was reliable in this field.

"What are you going to do?"

"That's a secret". He crackled a smile at Fuyuhiko's irritated reaction. "I will say that it's nothing physically harming. If that makes you feel better".

"How can you even do anything to begin with? We just learned about this now".

"Since Nagito brought it up, my mind has been racing. It just comes naturally, I guess".

The offer was still lingering in the air, and he wanted to throw out more questions to stall for time. But that just felt too childish of a thing to do. The words yes and no repeated themselves in his head as he grit his teeth, still hesitant to provide an answer. He looked into his friend's eyes and received a small smile, reliving a bit of the pressure.

"You can… you can try your ideas on whoever. If it's her or not, I… I don't care. I think I'm going back to my room. I'll see you tomorrow… probably".

"I'll be here by 11am if you change your mind".

He turned and started walking away at that. Part of him was screaming at himself for declining his offer, but he stuck with it. as he walked home, he started to think about what could have brought him to say no. there was still time to change his mind, after all. And he had all night to think it over.


	20. ANTICIPATION

"Come on! It's not right if you don't hit me back!"

"Sorry. I think I'll just stay down here for a bit".

In his current bout of sparring with Akane, Hajime had taken a blow to the chest during a lapse in his focus. Apparently, Akane asked Hajime to be her sparring partner while he was with Nagito. Since he was able to hold his own during their previous fight. His thoughts were currently on what was to happen later in the day, when he would attempt to wake one of his comatose friends.

"Get up, we just started!" She lifted him off the ground by his shoulders, placing him back onto his feet before taking a few steps away. His head was pointing to the ground as he was wading through his thoughts, so he didn't see it when Akane charged at him again. As quickly as the last time she took him down, she swept him by the legs, and he was on the ground yet again. "Fight back, Hajime! You promised you'd by my sparring partner, right?"

He let out a loud sigh, remembering exactly when the words "I promise" had left his mouth yesterday. Looking over he shuddered inside, seeing her look at him disappointingly as she stood over him again.

"I did promise you that. Sorry, I guess I just can't get my mind off today's plans". That was all he needed to get her to sympathise with him. She let out her own flat sigh before extending her arm and offering her hand, lifting him off the ground again. Before he could say another word, she pulls him into a hug. Much to his surprise, he couldn't help but get flustered. But he was happy. "All right then… let's go".

"Go where?"

"I made a promise, right? Just don't complain when I pull my punches".  
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"Thirty-four, thirty-five, thirsty-six, thirty-seven",

"Could you stop that? Whatever it is".

Kazuichi had been able to tolerate Nagito's vocalized counting for a few minutes, speaking as his patience wore away. The Ultimate Lucky Student sent him a look along with a full smile, giggling as his lips came together and shut. He stopped speaking, but his counting continued, turning into a slow nodding of his head and taps on the wall he leaned against.

"What are you… what the hell is with the counting? Can you stop, making, noise!" The Mechanic clapped along with his last three words as he threw them out like stones. Nagito looked him in the eyes again, falling silent as he mouthed the numbers he was counting in his head.

"I'm counting up to an hour, because by the time I'm done, Izuru will be here!" Hajime did say that he would be in the control room by 11am, and he was clearly excited for what would happen when he did. "I think I've counted twenty minutes already".

"Well I KNOW you have, because it's twenty minutes past ten!" He yelled again, pointing at the clock that was hanging on one of the walls. Nagito looked up at it and laughed before he started staring at it, his eyes following the seconds as they went by.  
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"Hn!"

Fuyuhiko shot up from his bed in a cold sweat, his chest seemingly rising faster than it cold fall. The sudden rising of his body did not help him either, as a quick jolt of pain hit his head along with a wave of dizziness. He flinched from the pain, clamping his eyes shut while he leaned ever, pinching the bridge of his nose.

He leaned over, his left arm reaching down to the floor near his bed, his hand searching for the glass of water he had left there. The only thing he could think of to remedy his splitting headache was to drown it with water. And as soon as his fingers made contact with the tall glass, he gripped it tightly and pulled it to his lips.

His idea was working, his pain lessening as he drank, lines of water flowing down his chin as his mouth overflowed. He emptied the glass in good time, gasping for air as he finished.

But it wasn't enough.

He swung his legs over, standing up and stumbling towards his bathroom, going for the sink. In almost a single motion he plugged the bowl and started running cold water. He jittered as it filled up, his now pounding heartbeat thumping in his ears, building his headache back up.

As soon as the sink was filled, he stopped the flowing water and plunged his head into the small pool of the substance. It felt electric almost, relaxing him, slowing his heart rate. He resurfaced with another gasp of air, his face dripping wet in his tongue lapped up the water on his upper lip. Catching his breath le leaned back over the sink and started drinking again, bringing water up with his palms.

"Hah…Hah…" He turned around and went back to his bed to his bed and let himself fall on his back, eyes now to the ceiling as his fingers dug into his sheets. Slowly he could feel himself relaxing as his deep breaths slowed into a calming rhythm, and his eyes became heavy once again.

"The time!" Until he remembered the deadline he had been given. He rose in a flash, scrambling on his feet to get dressed, sloppily throwing on his clothes, as he took a glance at his alarm clock. He let out a loud curse once he read the time, five minutes past eleven.

"Dammit, I hope he's a punctual as I am".  
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"You have to calm down. Breathe".

Whomever it was that was speaking, sounded so calm, so collected. However, that voice sounded ever distant, lost in the ringing that they heard more than anything else. They could not be seen either, hazy vision still adjusting to the light overhead.

The only thing they could gain a solid grasp on was their confusion. What was this? What was happening? They started to panic, encouraging that person to suggest that they breath again as they stopped closer, leaning over them.

"Can you have me?" They sounded louder than before, but they still couldn't be seen clearly. All they could make out were the bright green and red eyes, unfamiliar to them completely. "Can you move?"

They could, although it was a little tough. They felt stiff, or rather, weak. The person above asked the last question again when they didn't respond and received an answer in the form of the light shuffling of their hips.

"You can move, that's good. So that means you can hear me too. You look confused, though. You can't see clearly, can you? Here, I'm going to sit you up".

Now that they weren't staring up into bright lights, clear vision was slowly returning to them. And their eyes went wide when they saw who it was speaking to them.

"Y-you…"

"You don't recognise me? That's odd. Nagito didn't seem to have any problems remembering me".

"No… I… you're Hajime… Hinata. But you look different".

"Tell me, what's the last thing you remember?"

It was an odd thing to ask so quickly. They were silent, thinking about the answer impulsively.

"Before waking up… all I can remember… is things going dark. But before that, I was… I was talking to-"

Across the room, the doors flew open in a crash. They struggled to raise their arm, pointing a finger at the person that now was standing in the doorway.

"Him". Their finger was pointing limply at Fuyuhiko, who was now standing still, staring them eye to eye. He had gotten there a few minutes too late. He had missed his deadline.

"Well, isn't this simply great? I knew you could do it. Izuru!" Nagito exclaimed through the tense silence, bringing a few angry glances his way.


	21. LEARNING THE TRUTH

"As the first, I believe there might be something you can help me with".

"Anything at all, I'm happy to help".

Hajime stood near Nagito, the two of them a modest distance away from the others as they gathered around Mahiru. There was an odd vibe surrounding them, Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi completely silent, the Mechanic looking away from the Photographer entirely.

"You remember your life before the island, don't you?"

"Oh, of course. I mean, at first it was a bit confusing, but eventually it all came back to me. That's part of why I agreed… you know? To not kill any of you. All of us were working together nicely out there. Maybe nicely isn't the best way to put it".

Hajime nudged his arm with his elbow, silencing him before he switched on his autopilot. And he was quiet, for a bit, before he made a noise that showed his curiosity on something.

"Looks like it's coming back to her now". He gestured towards Mahiru, who had a visible look of shock on her face. Hajime took note, easily spotting the sudden change in her demeanour, excusing himself before walking over towards her direction. She took notice of his presence, her gaze jumping to him as he walked past her and the others, and into the storage room.

Beside her, the only other person to notice him enter the storage room was Kazuichi, who quickly fell into a panic. He sprung into action, knowing what he was going in there for, and knowing that he wouldn't find it. he stepped through the threshold of the storage room and froze. Much to his surprise, Hajime was standing there with the camera in his hands, on add look appeared on his face.

"This is why you've been acting so distant, right?"

"You've seen what's on there?"

"Mhm, here. Take it and hide it on you. Give it to her when you think the time is right". Without objection he placed the device into Kazuichi's hands, telling him also that this would help him regain his peace of mind. He moved past him after that, joining the others.

Left alone, the Mechanic let out a low grumble, squeezing the camera in his hands. He wanted more than anything to just walk out there right now and shove the thing into her arms. But he knew it wouldn't be right, to bring this up around the others. At least that's what he figured Hajime meant by 'when the time is right'.

He ended up snatching the beanie off his head and wrapping the camera inside. Quickly and quietly he left the storage room and went straight for the main doors that lead outside. His now lumpy head wear pressed to his hip by his right hand.  
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Hajime had spent a good amount of time explaining to Mahiru what happened after she had 'died'. She felt indifferent about it all, the killings did continue after hers, but it wasn't like they were dead. What finally received a reaction from her though, was what came at the end of it all.

It was now known to her that for the second time, Junko Enoshima had fallen. Their de facto leader, epicentre of Despair, was wiped away once again. Mahiru did not know what exactly she thought about that.

She was glad, and angry, even a bit sad. The last two emotions felt wrong, but they couldn't help being there. Even Hajime knew that she would have some sort of remorse for her, having been under her thumb for as long as she had been.

"Now we're free to live our lives".

Was his reasoning for telling her all of this to install in her that their future belonging to themselves, and they were hopeful. After that, he wanted no time in saying that he wished for her to 'join' them in this new life, therefore giving her a choice in the matter. It was concerning to think what may happen if she had said no, but she quickly tossed the thought aside, mindlessly nodding her head at him in agreement.

He didn't say anything after that, sitting across from her silently, hands fiddling with a half empty teacup. He stopped moving when her look drifted up, before slowly dragging to the sides, and then back down.

"My camera… where's my camera!" She instantly came to life, startling Hajime slightly. Her eyes bulged as she shouted, her arms and legs pushing herself up as she tried to slow her hitched breaths.

"C-calm down", his iron demeanour seemed to crack at her sudden desire for her device, standing up after her, his hands raised halfway. He gulped, forcing a lump down his throat, clearing his throat after.

"I'll be okay… hah… I just need my camera!"

"I was about to give it to you!" Kazuichi's voice rang from the stairs of the restaurant as he climbed them. Hajime and Mahiru looked at him as he stood atop the last step, his chest heaving form nervous breaths. His palms firmly held the camera to his chest, which he shoved out towards the Photographer as he quickly approached her. "Get this away from me! I'm sorry, Hajime, but I can't wait anymore".

She snatched her belonging from him as the two boys exchanges glances, one understanding, one apologetic.

"No… no… it can't really be like this, can it?" She started viewing the pictures saved onto the camera, one after the other. She wanted to vomit, holding back as her eyes skimmed photo after photo. "It just doesn't feel real".

Hajime took a step back, saying nothing, letting the moment play out on its own.

"Stop looking over my shoulder". Mahiru pulled her camera closer to her chest before turning to address Kazuichi.

"I wasn't. like it matters, anyway… I've already seen all of it".

"You have? Then why didn't you delete any of it!?"

Hajime flinched when she yelled at Kazuichi, who had done the same.

"What are you talking about!? Isn't it YOUR rule to not delete photos!?"

She flinched next, surprised that he shouted at her, more surprised he of all people remembered her rule. She shook her head, not giving him a response, turning back to look at her camera. Mindlessly and with great passionate intent she began erasing the pictures. Knowing her camera like the back of her hand, she had gotten rid of a fourth of the pictures in a few short seconds.

Neither of the boys said anything as she did so. No objections nor affirmations. All of them remained silent, the only sounds that were loud enough to hear were the ones she made operating her machine.

'At least she wasn't so much trouble as Nagito'. Hajime thought as he laid down his head on the table. He had planned to wake up someone else later, so he was glad Mahiru didn't cause him much trouble. Hopefully, things would stay this simple. However, when he thought about those who were still to come, he couldn't help but imagine things becoming more complicated.


	22. ON TO THE NEXT

"How did you do it?" Nagito asked Hajime as he leaned over the table. Prompting the other three boys to groan. He had asked the same question over and over already, apparently not wanting to go without an answer.

"Shut up!" Next to him, Fuyuhiko placed his hand on his face, pushing the white-haired student roughly back into his seat.

"They look so unreliable as ever…" Mahiru said as she observed the boys interaction from across the room, Sonia and Akane looked at them next, laughing when they saw Nagito's chair completely collapse under him.

"They're not so bad", Sonia argued for them, earning a doubting glance from the Photographer.

"How did you manage to do that? They heard Kazuichi ask as he leaned over, examining the now disassembled piece of furniture. The boy in question shrugged as he raised his arm and jumped back when the table they were sitting at collapsed as well.

"Does that look 'reliable' to you?" He redhead pointed at them, letting her brow go up as high as it could.

"They've been doing their best…" Sonia tried again to reassure, a bit concerned when she took a second glance at the scene unfolding across the room.

"Hold on, don't start without me!" Nagito shouted as the other boys stood up and began to exit. The girls watched as they left, leaving Nagito alone, scrambling to clean the mess made by his bad luck.  
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After a successful first attempt, Hajime was eager to continue in welcoming the others into consciousness. Up next, by the will of a certain Yakuza, was Peko Pekoyama, the Ultimate Swordswoman.

"Don't you think this happening too soon?"

"I think that as long as there's only one with murderous intent, then we should be fine".

Fuyuhiko was questioning Hajime's decision to keep things going so quickly, when Kazuichi slammed his opinion on the conversations table. The Mechanic had the eyes of them both now.

"What's the matter Fuyuhiko, worried your girlfriend might go on a rampage?" Fuyuhiko clicked his tongue as Kazuichi laughed out loud. Hajime let out a light laugh escape past his lips.

"Did you just laugh?" The baby-faced young man shoved his finger in the face of the accused.

"He's pretty spot on, though". Was his justification. "I probably would have worded it a little differently, but yeah". This caused Kazuichi to continue laughing, Sonia and Akane joined in as Mahiru had no clue what was funny.

"I need a face to talk to. Anyone would do better than you two and the one-armed preacher. Let's get this show on the road".  
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"Everyone is here?" His body snapped quickly during his turnaround, the ahoge atop his head twitching as it fought against the whipping air. He didn't even see of anyone was opening their mouth to speak, swivelled to view the task at hand.

Compared to the previous instance, this felt even more gratifying. It was no test, no guess, it was fact, he could wake the comatose in a way only he could. But part of him didn't care at all.

The ability wasn't new anymore, it was his, and it had already been done. There was no curiosity, no pondering whether success was obtainable. There was no further interest in the matter.

He hadn't even done it twice yet, and it already seemed as trivial as breathing.

"There". But he could take solace knowing it was done.

Her eyes wide open, widening and then closing partly, overhead lights too bright to stare at. A quick need to rise came to mind before anything else, her body shooting up before stepping a quarter way up as weakness overcame her.

"Here", a warm hand slid under her back before lifting her up, leaving her in a sitting position. Her vision flashed as her eyes fluttered open and closed, tears forming to wash away the dryness.

"Let me guess, she can't move her damn legs".

"Young master, is that you?"

"Don't call me that, dammit".

"I can leave her in your care, then?" Hajime asked Fuyuhiko as the others slowly began approaching, voicing their welcomes as they did so. Fuyuhiko only nodded and Hajime asked no further questions, taking a step back before turning to walk away. But before he could get too far, Kazuichi appeared before him, narrowly avoiding collision.

"You're not sticking around this time?" He stopped and asked.

"I figured I'd give them their space".

"Alright, cool! C'mon, I got something to show you".

Hajime didn't choose to object or ask why, following him as he walked outside. The Mechanic spontaneously shouted, "Meet me at the airfield!" before running to the facility, leaving him standing alone, curious.

"What's going on out here?" Mahiru's voice came from behind him as he was about to take his first steps. From out of the building came the redhead along with the other girls, Nagito also slinking out behind them silently. Hajime gave them each a quick passing glance, knowing very well what must have transpired inside.

"Baby Gangsta told us to get lost". Akane explained, briefly and eloquently.

"So, where were the two of you running off to?" Sonia spoke next.

"Come with me and find out, I guess".  
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The airfield here in reality was far smaller than the airport portrayed in the simulation. Other than the fact that it was in the same place, there were no other similarities. In fact, it wasn't an airport at all. Just a small private airfield. The area was littered with dingy looking bi and seaplanes, some more decrepit than the others, a few even looking brand new.

"Isn't this place amazing!?" Kazuichi surprised the group. Springing out from behind an oil drum as he conveyed his feelings for this mechanical paradise.

"Someone's feeling a bit better", Sonia giggled.

"I'm faking blissful ignorance, but that's not the point!" He turned and ran, quickly disappearing behind some scattered planes, towards the rear of the field. The others quietly voiced doubts and concerns, before following him.

"This is exciting! I'm sure the Ultimate Mechanic has prepared something wonderful for us!" Nagito voiced his assumption and then ran off ahead of the others, his empty sleeve flapping wildly in the wind.

In the back of the airfield, Kazuichi and Nagito were waiting, the latter standing atop what was presumably a large machine, with a larger blue tarp draped over it. Rather than saying anything, he acted, returning to the ground to grasp the cover by the corner and yanking it off in one pull.

"A boat?"

"It's a barge".


	23. AMAZING DISCOVERY

"Never ask me about that again. It didn't work, end of story".

"Forgive me so… what are we supposed to do?"

"Huh?"

"What are we supposed to-"

Peko was cut off by Fuyuhiko slamming his foot against the pod she was leaning back against. She flinched at the crash, eyes widened at him as she fought to maintain her stoic composure instead of slinking back in fear and surprise.

"Fuck! Please tell me you did not just fucking say that".

"Say wha-"

"Don't act stupid with me! You were going to say, 'what are we supposed to do'".

"Yes".

"For whom?" He hissed his words harshly, confusing her greatly. Was this just a trick question? She continued staring at him silently, watching his facial expression confront further into anger and frustration. "I said.. for whom".

"What do you mea-"

"That is what I mean! You're smart, aren't you! So, tell me".

"Jun-"

"Godammit!" He kicked the pod again out of anger, once, twice, three times. Things had just escalated to a higher level of confusion for her, and a higher level of frustration for him. Fuyuhiko slowly grew silent, and started staring at her, cupping his chin in his hand as his right foot started rapidly tapping the ground. "I need you to get what I'm about to say through your head".

"We are DONE with Junko Enoshima. You get me? DONE".

The order was enough to finally draw out some emotion from her, a shocked look now displaying on her face. She was speechless, making the matter clear to Fuyuhiko, who now has a shocked look upon his face as well.

He didn't know what exactly to do at this moment, a scenario like this, the last thing he could imagine would transpire. The first thing he thought to do was to call Hajime back from wherever he had gone, but that thought also came with the fear of what he would do. Likely, presumably rather, she would be determined and forcibly locked away while he attempted 'reconditioning' her in whatever way he saw fit. The second thing he thought to do was to 'slay the shit out of her' in hopes of knocking her to her senses, but that was obviously counterintuitive.

"What's with that look?" He growled, receiving no immediate answer save for the still shocked on which he was speaking of. She shifted slightly in place, knees wobbly and ready to give way to the need to fold. She was still holding onto her reply and turned distraught when she noticed the glance of disappointment pass over her. "Say something…"

He was slowly losing his will to continue. Seeing that now saddened face of hers only made this worse. The two of them continued looking at each other in a sullen silence, waiting for the other to speak. After a few seconds, Peko let out a light. Whimper as her legs gave out under her, leaving her on the ground with her back against the pod she was holding herself up with.

"I can't believe what's happening…" She finally said.

A light had switched on in Fuyuhiko's brain, his fingers snapping loudly as the realization. He cursed himself for having passed over the thought, that she had remembered what transpired in the killing game they participated in.

"Wait!-" He spoke up. "Do you remember the trial, and everything else?"

She nodded her head as soon as he stopped speaking. In his mind he was smiling wider than humanity possible, finding some piece information he could finally work with positivity.

"I apologise…" She softly spoke, almost under her breath. Her head started drifting downward, wanting to avoid his gaze. Fuyuhiko took a few quick steps so he could kneel down next to her.

"We can talk apologies later. First, let's talk about the obvious. That… killing game. It wasn't real".

"R-right…"

That was a weirder start than he would've liked, but he had to start from somewhere.  
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"A barge".

"Yes!"

Kazuichi was massively, excited about having found the sea vessel, as well as everything else in the airfield. In one place he had found a boat and a hefty number of planes he would probably scraps of parts. He hadn't partaken in much tinkering lately, so Hajime thought it'd be good for him to get back on the horse.

"You plan on using that to move between the islands? Isn't it a bit large?" Sonia questioned the practical use of the thing, it's large size for the most part.

"It's perfect!" Was the only argument Kazuichi believed he needed to present. "It's the best thing I could ever ask for, we can bring back as much stuff as we want, no limits or roundtrips!"

The simple explanation was all Hajime needed to come to an agreement with the pink haired boy. But there was still things that needed to be figured out before the barge could be used. Just two actually.

"How do we get it into the water?" An easy question, one he probably didn't need to ask even.

"Well it's here, and on a trailer, and there's a marina on this island. The one those future foundation guys used for their ship. "That's exactly what Hajime was thinking, almost word for word.

"And how will we move the barge from here?" A question with a more situational answer, even if he could think of something himself.

"Ah, I just figured I'd make something that could tow it there".

Not much thought went into that answer, but it was something. "Best case scenario, we'll be in the water by this afternoon! Worst case, um… the barge sinks, I guess. So, on that note… who's going to stay and help me out?"

"These two will, isn't that right?" Mahiru stepped forward and volunteered Nagito and Hajime, pushing both towards Kazuichi. Hajime made a thinking face, while Nagito looked completely willing to help with the legwork, his smile said to all.

"Nah, I think I'll stay too". Akane shook her head and volunteered her own services, sliding over to stand near Hajime, who still looked to be in his thoughts.

"Well… I was thinking about going to check on Peko. But I suppose I'll stay as well". Kazuichi clapped once loudly when Sonia decided to stay as well. The masses then moved their eyes to Mahiru, pressuring smiles on their faces while they stared her down. The photographer let out a deflating sigh and let her shoulders slump down before her posture straightened out.

"Alright, like I'd be the only one to leave anyway".  
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"Forgive me". She said again after seeing his face contort and twitch irritably. From behind his stiff lips came a heavy grunt.

"Would you please stop saying that".

"As you wish",

"That too! And if you say, 'yes master', then you're really going to make me mad!" Fuyuhiko looked down on her with a tired expression, before finally offering his hand to her. She took it hesitantly and let out a huff when his other hand came down and helped lift her onto her feet. Off the ground once again, she was leaning against her pod, now watching him move to another corner of the room, returning with a folded wheelchair. She narrowed her eyes at the seat as he unfolded it and dusted it off.

"I don't need to-" Peko tried to object the piece of equipment, her right foot moving forward only for her knee to buckle. On instinct her hands shot forward and latched themselves onto the armrests of the chair, pushing it against Fuyuhiko as he stood behind it. she gave her eyes to the floor out of shame as her left foot moved next, her legs now parallel whilst they rattled intensely.

"Just sit in the chair, Peko. Please". He leaned down, locking the wheels in place before moving to the side and laying a hand on her arm. He gently pulled at her limb, slowly spinning her around so that her rear was in front to the chair, her own body doing the rest as her legs gave way and she fell into the seat. "It didn't take Mahiru that long to stand on he own feet, so don't worry about it".

She almost flinched when the chair's wheel unlocked, then she was spun around. Her palms gripped the end of the armrests tightly as he wheeled her towards the exit doors, stopping he lean over and shove the door open before swiftly pushing her though.

The sunlight overhead was almost blinding, her vision flashing as the outside came into view. Her eyes closed as her hand drifted down, slowly opening again when she knew it was safe. She stared at her lap as Fuyuhiko pushed the chair forward, the drift cracking under the rubber wheels as they went along. Peko's eyes watered while her vision slowly started fading back in, the sight before them leaving the Swordswoman at a loss for words.

The Mirai hotel was a small way away, but the look of it caught her attention immediately.

"Where are we?", she let out.

"Jabberwock island". He answered, confirming what she thought couldn't be true. "It's almost the exact same as the setting of the killing game, with only a few minor visual differences. Now can we get back to what we were talking about?"

"I believe you, you know", the brakes on his train of thought slammed down when her response plopped down onto his tracks. The wheelchair suddenly came to a stop as well, Peko's torso bobbing forward and back in her seat. "From the moment you said you disowned her cause, I believed you. I almost couldn't believe it".

"Junko?" She nodded her head lightly, making Fuyuhiko scrunch his face in confusion.

"I'm proud of you…"  
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"It's working! It's working!" Kazuichi honked the horn of a derelict looking truck as it's engine roared to life after a simple turn of the ignition key. The Mechanic had been spending the past few minutes manically disassembling the truck's original engine and replacing it was one of his own design. "I'm putting it in gear!"

As soon as he said so, his palm moved the stick shift, and the vehicle exploded out of it's parking space, moving full steam ahead into a stationary sea plane a few meters away. The others cringed before running after the monster machine as it continued moving, pushing the plane along with it with ease. The two continued to plow ahead, not stopping until they collided with the perimeter fence. The group ran up to the truck, stopping at the door as it flung open, Kazuichi rolling out with a hand slapped over his mouth, stomach dripping in and out as he let out muffled gags.

"Good job", Hajime patted him on his shoulder as he stepped over him, reaching over the trucks steering wheel to grab the keys and shut off the engine.

**Hrmmphhh**… T-than-*Hurp*… thanks…" Kazuichi wretched through his words, worried that he'd succumb to the reflex if he spoke more. Liquid bile already reaching the back of his throat. With his left hand he pinched his nose shut tight as he could stomach pushing the vomit back down to his stomach. "Dammed motion sickness…"

"Motion sickness?" Sonia said, spotting a clear conflict of interest. "You plan to step foot on a sea vessel, with motion sickness?"

His eyes sparked like metal under a blowtorch, his jaws slamming down so he could praise the heavens for the Princess' concern, before lurching forward. Like he had been squeezed with a vice, Kazuichi let loose a large amount of vomit, his eyelids clamping shut as the fowl taste washed across his tongue.

"Ha-Hajime!" The person of the same name now held his head to the sky, his hand hiding his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose. His chest was covered in the brown slop, now sliding down and changing the colour of his white shirt, and splashing onto his shoes, even sliding into them to dampen his socks.

"It's… hot…" Hajime stammered out as he inwardly cringed that heat of the bile as noticeable as a heavy blanket. "It got in my shoes…"

"What a waste of food…" Akane almost cried, noticing hints of the gang's earlier meal in the throw-up.

"Not my usual subject, but this'll look good", Mahiru said behind a click and a camera flash after she moved to Hajime's frontside.

"Poor Hajime…" Sonia felt sorry for him, a worried look on her face growing as she saw him twitch a few times as he stood there.

"Please, forgive me…" Kazuichi pleaded, his left hand towards Hajime as his right covered his mouth.

"If you try to take that shirt off, it'll probably get in your hair!" Nagito couldn't hold back his laughter anymore, bursting as he pointed out a further nuisance in the predicament. Hajime twitched again, reacting to the plopping sound that was made by his shirt dripping off the last of Kazuichi's stomach's contents. "What a stroke of bad luck! I didn't think you had that, not at all".

Hajime reacted to nothing that any of them said, slowly kicking off his filled shoes, scraping his socks against the asphalt to peel them off. He then united his tie. Then carefully pulling his arms into his shirt so he could gently and precisely raise it over his head. With a defeated way of moving, he fell back onto his bottom, arms raised forward at an angle with his torso drooping forward as well.

"Couldn't you have… avoided that? Kazuichi had the nerve to ask, Hajime slowly nodding his head to say yes. "Then why didn't you…"

"Akane was right behind me".

"I was? I was!" She gained a scowl on her face, turning red after her eyes darted to Kazuichi, who returned her look with fear. "Hajime, you-"

"He gave his body to shield the one he loves!" Sonia's eyes sparkled as she shouted her statement, yelling something about Japanese soap operas after.

"Gave his body!? It's not like he's going to die!" Kazuichi challenge the comparison, looking at Hajime to try and gauge his opinion.

"I think I'm dying…"

"No, you're not!" Kazuichi shouted at his human target.

"Wait, did you say he loves-"

"YOU'RE DEAD!" Akane's sudden call to action interrupted Mahiru's question, leaving the redhead confused as she and the rest of the group watched as the Gymnast chased Kazuichi across the lot, the pink haired one still covering his mouth as he ran.

"It seems your luck truly can rival mine, Izuru!" Nagito earned a glare for the shot he took.  
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"What?"

"'I'm proud to see how much you're matured".

"I don't follow. You're not…"

"My loyalty is to you and the Kuzuryu clan. Not her. Involvement in her following couldn't change that".

He could find some comfort in that. But he had to know if her loyalty could be backed up by own opinion.

"So, you could abandon Despair? Just like that".

"Yes, I can. You don't have to worry about me".

All of Fuyuhiko's nervousness had just slapped him insultingly. It was all for naught, the anger, frustration and shouting he had gone through today. He felt like an idiot, but at least he was a happy idiot.

"If that's how you feel, then why were you acting so confused", Fuyuhiko pointed out.

"You surprised me. Can I assume the same for everyone else?"

"Yeah, everyone's right in the head now. At least these of us who're awake now. We have to play it by when we wake someone up, though. That's why… I was so harsh earlier. Sorry 'bout that…"

"Please, all the shouting just showed that you care".

"That I care, huh?" He smiled, his face warming lightly as a blush started creeping over his cheeks. "Here, let me help you up". He moved by her side, offering his arm to her. Bringing her to her feet, he hooked his arm around hers, their sides touching as he leaned against him for support, her legs still weak. They started walking together slowly, both of them agreeing to go and find the others.

'I'm glad to have you back, Peko… just… wait of me to muster up some guts, and I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I feel'.

Paranoia ended up being the only roadblock he had faced today. Other than her legs being asleep, Peko was fine, in both mind and body. It was honestly almost enough to make him jump for joy. He had his childhood friend back and there wasn't anything else he would rather have.


	24. HELPING HAND

The ears of the Yakuza and Swordswoman twitched when the booming echo of an explosion reached them. Fuyuhiko stopped moving forward, Peko ding the same out of necessity. He let his eyes stare down the road and cringed when a plume of smoke was seen floating towards the sky, leaving a black trail behind it. the sight worried him slightly and annoyed him even more. The image of Nagito committing an act of arson for whatever reason came to mind, and that's when he would think happened until he knew what went down.

"I think we can assume that's where everyone went, yeah?" He asked her to drum up some conversation. He kept his head straight as he awaited an answer, his eyes glancing at her sideways.

"Most likely, yes". She gave a dry, thoughtless response, earning a sigh from Fuyuhiko.

"How are your legs feeling?" He didn't want their talk to fall flat, so he took the initiative to ask another question.

"I don't think it will be long until I can walk on my own". At that, he clicked his tongue, catching the meaning behind her words. He looked at her and tightened the link between their arms and gave her a light smile.

"Don't be stupid. I'll be here to help you as long as you need me to".

"R-Right. Thank you".  
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"Please believe me when I say that was an accident". After being dragged back by Akane, with a now bleeding nose, Kazuichi bowed before Hajime. he looked at his pink haired friend plainly, finally standing back up after a few seconds to observe the fire burning form the truck in front of them.

"That plane you hit is on fire", Mahiru piped up behind them, causing Kazuichi to flinch and scramble for the truck. Before he could grab the keys from the ground he was jerked back by Hajime, who grabbed the back of his jumpsuit with both of his hands.

After letting the blundering Mechanic to stay put, Hajime gestured to Akane, the two of them now standing side by side at the truck's tailgate. Together, they started pulling the truck away from the fire with ease, making the vehicle look almost as light as paper. They stopped once they had pulled the truck a safe distance away and were met with applause from everyone else but Nagito, who couldn't join in on that luxury.

"Fire's getting bigger". Akane said as the aviation machine was now engulfed in flames. Everyone gathered around to watch the fire and all flinched at the same time when the plane, for seemingly no reason, exploded. Along with the boom came the rising of the flames, and a thin pillar of black smoke.

"Some clean clothes would be nice right now". Hajime tensed Kazuichi as he peeked over his bare shoulder, arms clutching each other tight across his chest. He even had the gull to gesture to his pile of vomit-soaked clothes that were now fermenting in the sunlight. He even took it a step forward, looking down at his bare feet and wiggling his toes before saying "The ground is pretty hot, too".

"What do you want me to do, huh? Snap my fingers and wish for your stuff to be clean?"

"It would be a start".

"How would that be a start!?" Kazuichi yelled at Hajime's smiling face, stomping his foot down to protect his being toyed with his tormentor let out an audible chuckle, waving his hands in front of him after he turned to face the Mechanic.

"It's fine, it's fine. I'm just messing with you". Kazuichi was given a tiny bit of relief when he heard that, before he saw the look on Hajime's face turn into a flat, judgmental stare. "But if it happens again, there will be hell to pay".

Kazuichi only shook his head, not wanting to know exactly what he meant by 'hell'. With threats made and apologies expressed, the group collected themselves and went back to the task at hand: getting the barge into the water.  
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"Hmmm… I wonder…" The commotion following Kazuichi's blunders was engrossing enough that Nagito could simply walk away and not be noticed by anyone. Even after saying "I'm going back to my room to change my bandages", he was not paid any mind. "Kazuichi should be able to make a Mechanical arm, right?"

"But then again, with luck like mine, maybe living with one arm won't be so bad".

"Hey, you! If I find out you had anything to do with that explosion, I'll have your head on a platter!" A few feet down the road, Nagito spotted Fuyuhiko and Peko and took the Yakuza's words in stride. He said nothing in response only smiling as both parties continued walking and dropped the expression as soon as they both were to his back. He let out a dry huff and quickened his pace.

"Acceptance… how long until I'm not the odd man out anymore? Such a shining steppingstone I have been given. Bit I suppose it's to be expected. Yeah… I should expect it…" Glancing at his stump reminded him of his history with his group of companions, his behaviour and actions reminding how why he was treated the way he was. An exhale came from his nose, his phantom limb clenching it's fist and bringing a light pain to what left of his arm.

For some reason he imagined an artificial limb would alleviate him of the pain and cringed when he recalled how the pain was once something he could say gave him joy. A pain that would nourish hope with each passing ache, he called it. a sickening view, even the thought that It was. The feet that he lived in Despair's name not too long ago was even more so.

A wave of vibrations shot up his arm when the phantom pain faded away, drawing his eyes to his empty jacket sleeve as he walked. The feeling was painful, yes but when it was there it was almost like he had the rest of his arm again.  
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Things were moving along pretty quickly with the barge, as Hajime was already in the process of towing the vessel with Kazuichi's truck. The barge was incredibly heavy, but the truck was able to pull it without much resistance. As the truck rolled out of the airfield gates and onto the road. Hajime shifted in his seat, his warm torso slowly peeling all of the leather interior when he did. It was a useless effort, though, his body sticking back to the seat once he settled.

"Do you want my shirt?" His head shot to his right, eyes bulging wide, making a blush wash over Akane's cheeks as she drifted her eyes down and away from his. Her mouth opened while she shifted in her seat, a breath coming from her throat when she stopped what she was going to say, trying to enter her words appropriately. "I mean, I have this on, so…"

She was referring to her training bra, her left hand pulling it part way out of her shirt. His eyes looked down to the fabric, then back at her, the same wide-eyed expression on his face. They both looked away at the same time, their eyes now fixed on the road ahead. Silence wasn't allowed, the purr of the engine pouring in though the open window, the voices of the others filling the air as they sat upon the barge as it was being towed.

"I'll be fine without a shirt for now. Besides… it's pretty windy… you could get sick". And he was the one without a shirt or shoes. He leaned forward a bit, pulling his skin from the seat again before leaning back into it. out of the corner of his vision he saw her move, shortly before feeling her sit down right next to him. His head turned slightly, to see her reach forward and turn the truck's air conditioning knob up a few notches before she inched just a little closer to him. Their legs and arms were touching, her body heat creeping onto his skin as the heat coming from vents in front of him caused his eyes to slightly narrow.

"You're the one who's going to get sick first". She said. "If you do, then we wouldn't be able to spar!"

Her clutched fist playfully came down on his thigh. He laughed a bit, and let a calming exhale pass his lips.

"Yo!" Just ahead, Hajime could see Fuyuhiko and Peko on the side of the road, the boy flagged him down with a wave of his free arm. The truck sped up slightly before stopping so that the two hitchhikers were parallel to the driver's window. "What the hell is this?"

He gestured to the truck as well as the huge barge. On the water vessel, Kazuichi had peeked out, having heard the question. He waved out hid greeting to Fuyuhiko before giving his answer.

"We're going to use this barge to check out the other islands, maybe bring back some stuff!" Being a few feet away off the ground made him feel he needed to yell for some reason, Fuyuhiko giving him the side eye before looking to Hajime with a raised brow.

"And you are shirtless because?"

"He threw up on me". Hajime gestured behind him, Fuyuhiko glancing at Kazuichi again to see him tugging at his collar. His nose twitched, searching for an unpleasant smell, only finding the salt infused ocean breeze.

"Are you joining us? We're going to the marina right now. The one the Future Foundation ship was docked at".

Peko only looked straight ahead, leaving the choice up to Fuyuhiko. He shrugged his shoulders, saying nothing while he led Peko around to the truck's passenger side, opening the door and helping her into the row. Hajime and Akane inched more to the driver's door to make room, all of them shoulder to shoulder as Fuyuhiko slammed his door shut, a heavy breath heard from him afterwards.

"All right!" Behind them outside, Kazuichi pounded on the metal of then barge as he beckoned for the truck to set off once more. "Let's get going!"  
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A cold breeze made by his door shutting behind him made Nagito's body quiver, his teeth clattering once or twice as he settled back into his warmth. Taking step forward he let his jacket slide off so he could throw it towards his bed. Entering the bathroom, he stopped at the mirror, lifting up hid arm to view the worn bandages wrapped around the end of his stump. Picking the end of the bandage he pulled it off in one motion, afterwards leaning over to grab the roll of medical tape he kept under the sink.

The bandages that were touching the end of his stump were more worn than the others, the black scab having rubbed off on it during the past few days. He debated to stop wrapping it, slightly, but ended up doing so anyway. He most likely did so just to stay in the habit of it. he walked out of the restroom at that, grabbing his jacket and sliding it back on, leaving the zipper undone. As he stepped with the intent to rejoin the others, a sudden impulse popped into his head.

Some feeling, one that felt closer to intuition than anything else, had brought the idea to go to the control room to his mind. He thought about it for less than a second, before deciding to go to the building where the rest of the group still slept. After all, for such an idea to come so suddenly to mind…

It could only be a lucky occurrence, right?


	25. REDEMPTION

The closer Nagito came to the control room's building, the more the island's breeze turned into a constant wind. It was the same with the air, the atmosphere growing colour with each step of his feet, the direction of the wind changing from just the worst to all directions. It was making him excitable, to feel changes outside that could mark reinforcements of his sudden intuition to come to this place.

As he reached the main doors, the sounds of distant voices reached him along with noises of an engine pulling tires, and louder sounds made by clanging metal. Nagito stopped and whipped his head around in both directions, before quickly ducking inside, lest he be spotted. The doors now behind him he shuddered, the still air inside much colder than the whipping wind outside. Focusing, he took a without step, listening for any noticeable changing in the room as he did. After a quick moment of standing still he broke into a slow pace, surveying the room around him. The reason for his sudden spurt of intuition was not making itself obviously, so he came to his own assumption in place of missing knowledge.

"Is someone there?" His voice floated out lightly, carrying little weight and probably reaching nobody in the process. He wasn't responded to, but he still thought that this must be it. someone in their room was now awake. He didn't speak again, but continued moving, choosing now to walk towards one of the nearest pods.

Once he came to the capsule he leaner over it and met with a sleeping visage of Nekomaru. He said nothing and moved on to the next one. TeruTeru was still, Gundham was as well. And so was the nameless Imposter. He quickened his pace to see the others, Ibuki, Hiyoko and Mikan. He stopped in place after passing over the Musician and Traditional Dancer, thinking he finally narrowed things down.

"Mikan?" He called out, looking across to her capsule a few feet away. Taking a slow step forward he wheezed out a heavy, shuddering breath which conveyed his eagerness to confirm his hunch. The air crackled with static anticipation as he moved towards her with bated breath, expecting to hear some signs of life coming form her way. The closer he came to her the more he was weighed down by the heavy silence, his strong belief in his luck beginning to waver.

Until he saw her face. Beneath Nagito, Mikan was fidgeting around as she lied there with her eyes slightly opened, her warm breath fogging up the transparent screen between them. He let his index finger tap on the barrier, asking for her attention as he spoke her name in time with his taps.

She didn't even appear to be aware of his presence, her empty gaze looking right through him. All she seemed to be doing was shifting in place, as a sleeping person would do if you were to gently shake them by the shoulders and then, her eyes shut again, as her body slowly settled back into rest.

"Hm?" He was taken aback by her return to stillness, a strong look of confusion now ironed onto his face. At first he called it as a fake out, his face hovering above her so that he could stare her down through the heavy breaths that continued flowing from her lungs and fogging the screen between them. "I don't get it; I must be missing something…"  
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"Three… two… one… NOW!" At the final count Fuyuhiko let his foot away from the gas pedal, the truck now backing into the breaking waves of the shoreline. As the trailer hit the water with the barge atop it, Hajime and Akane were on standby at both sides, awaiting to help push the barge further into the water. As strenuous as their efforts had to be, this was the only possible wat to get the barge on the water, the marina looking any sort of machinery to lower the vessel into the water. Kazuichi had just proposed they simply push the barge off the dock and be done, but still, there would be no way to remove it from the trailer first.

Luckily for everyone, the barge was wider horizontally than vertically, letting it slide off the flatbed once it was submerged enough. As steel met the water, Hajime and Akane went into action, the two of them slowly striding over to each and to nudge the vessel forwards. As they did the sound of an engine kicked up, joined by very loud convulsions as Kazuichi manned the helm, fighting his motion sickness while he rocked gently on the waves.

"We're running out of ground here!" Akane yelled, spitting and coughing after a wave rose and smacked her in the face.

"Go ahead and… l-let go! I think we're… alright! I'm bringing it around to the dock!" Kazuichi happily exclaimed through laboured breaths as he battled against his gag reflex. As he said so, the barge began to move forward at a steady pace, breaking through the waves to float on steadier waters ahead.  
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"Hiyoko… Nekomaru… Gundham… TeruTeru… Ibuki… the Imposter and… Mikan?" Nagito found himself looking over everyone again, ending on Mikan as he did before. He sighed, biting his lip. The Nurse was still unmoving, laying as if she were a corpse. "Is this not why I'm here?"

Sighing again, he grabbed at his empty sleeve and pulled it to his stomach, his phantom limb creating sharp pains with every bend of a finger. Nagito stood in place, thinking things out as he waited for the pain to subside.

He was becoming frustrated, even if only slightly. More often than not, his strokes of luck were clear and obvious, so the idea that the reason for his 'lucky intuition' was alluding him, leaving him pretty irritated.

"I guess I'll look around". He said to himself under his breath, taking one last pass over Mikan before walking about the room. He began inspecting everything around him, scrounging up nothing save for junk and machinery, none of it screaming 'this is why I am here'.

"What are you doing". He froze, his lose grip in a printed document faltering, the stapled papers floating down to land on his shoes. Forcing a lump down his throat he shakily turned his head to the right, peeking over his shoulder to greet the person who had caught him sneaking about. He was a little relieved though, to see that particular pair of green and red eyes.

"Izuru! I mean, H-Hajime! sorry about that". Hajime's eyes quickly darted around the room before falling onto his once again. Hajime was soaking wet, beads of water still clinging to the strands of his hair, his pants squishing with every small movement he made. "Ah! I'm not doing anything you wouldn't approve of, of course! I mean… would you believe me if I told you I was here for… intuitive reason?"

"What would intuition have to do with you turning the place upside down?" Hajime questioned him, slowly circling the pods as he approached.

"Um… well…I…" He stammered, not wanting to tell him, yet knowing that to lie would get him back on Hajime's bad side. "I'm not really… looking for anything in particular. When I got here, I thought one of them was going to wake up-"

"Who?"

"Mikan! Y-yeah, Mikan… her eyes were open, she was tossing and turning… than she just stopped. "After the quick rundown Nagito watched Hajime approach Mikan, thoroughly examining her before looking back at him.

"Okay, listen", Hajime started, stopping to walk over and grab a plastic bucket hanging from a hook-on a nearby wall. "I'm going to be gone for a bit, to go scrape my clothes off the airfield. I'll come back once I'm cleaned up. Until then… you watch her like a hawk. Alright?"

"Alright! I mean, yes. I can do that!" Hajime was a bit surprised at his enthusiasm but wasn't willing to take the extra minutes to question him about it. he nodded to Nagito, and then turned to walk away, a brisk pace carrying him away, once Hajime reached the doors, he turned back before taking his exit.

"Nagito. Can I trust you with this?"

The Ultimate Lucky Student froze, his breathing heart going into double time. In his head, Hajime's voice rang with the same question over and over. The be considered for such an honour… how exhilarating! His heart started beating even faster, excitement winding him up, while not trying to tell him just how happy he truly was in the moment. He couldn't help but let a bubbly laugh escape him, his head nodding up and down as if it were on a spring.

"Yes, you can! You can trust me!" Hajime didn't appear to care about his odd enthusiasm, only returning his wide smile with a curve of his lips. They both waved each other off, an intense burning in his chest igniting once Hajime had finally left. He raised his now clenched fist and slammed it onto his chest. All he had to do now, was hope that nothing would go wrong. He had to make absolutely sure that he didn't mess this up for himself.

"I guess I really am here because of my luck. I just hope I can earn your trust, all of you".


	26. TESTING YOUR LUCK

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUTHOR'S NOTE: chapters 26 and 27 take place at the same time but through different perspectives. 26 is Hajime & Nagito and 27 is Mahiru, Akane, Sonia, Kazuichi, Peko and Fuyuhiko.

"Wait, you're not coming with us? But why?" Kazuichi was curious on why Hajime isn't going to the next island with them, he must have a good reason.

"I've got to get cleaned up after what's happened". Referring to his vomit covered shoes and shirt. "When you're over there. Be careful. Okay?"

"Okay".

Hajime headed for his cottage in order to get changed. Also wondering what he and the others can do to impress their lifestyle on Jabberwock island. Maybe make the cottages big enough so two people can share, one of many ideas that pop into his head. He kept thinking as he made it back to his cottage. He started getting undressed and replacing every piece of clothing with something not smelling like throw up. "That's better".

His next objective was clear, check on Nagito and the rest of his comatose friends, hoping that Nagito didn't do anything.  
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Nothing, this is definitely unnatural. No sign of movement since before. Not from Mikan or anyone else, something needs to be done soon, whether it's him that does something or it's Hajime. maybe pressing the right button would work, but that's a risk not even Nagito was willing to take.

"I wonder".

"Hey, did anything happen?"

"Ah, you have returned. Unfortunately, no". He was honest, Hajime could tell just by looking at him.

"Do you think we should try waking her up? I mean we'll have to eventually, might as well be now". Nagito brings up a good point, as worried as Hajime was, it was something they would have to deal with in the near future.

"Yeah, we should do it now." He had to think about it for a bit, about the pros and cons of having Mikan with the group once again. Pros? They'll have an actual Nurse so if anyone got hurt, she can treat them. Cons? She's as crazy as she was before she was executed by Monokuma. "Actually, I want to try something I've been thinking about for a while now".

"What is it?"

"I want to see if I can get TWO people to wake up at the same time". All Nagito could do was smile, it seems he likes that idea. It'll speed things up, but they could end up dealing with two problems instead of one. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"I can pick? How exciting!" He seemed to be over the moon after he was asked that. Maybe letting Nagito choose the next one to wake up was Hajime's way of saying thank you. He kept that in mind while deciding who he would like to see alive again. "Him".

"Are you sure? He might not be so happy to see us. You, specifically".

"I need to apologise to him, that much I know. And if he goes crazy, I'll take full responsibility". He sounded sincere, like he meant every word. "Besides, I think I finally understand!"

"Understand what?"

"It's you! You are the Hope that can overcome any Despair!"  
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It's been an hour since Hajime started working on waking two people up simultaneously and Nagito's having an amazing time as gets a front row seat to how everything works.

"There, let's hope I'm not just testing my luck". He seemed exhausted, makes sense since he's been working all day. Not just with the barge, but with waking up Peko and Mahiru earlier that day. it's as if he woke them all up at once, that's how tired he was.

Like Peko and Mahiru, the lights seemed too bright for his eyes, so he kept them closed until he sat up. The moment he opened his eyes and saw the two of them standing there, he almost jumped out of the pod out of fear and anger. "HAJIME AND NAGITO!?" He looked terrified, being face to face with the man who tricked him into killing AND the man who put him in the hot seat during the first trial. His anger was understandable.

"Hello TeruTeru, are you ok?" A pointless question to ask at this point in time, but he had to get him to calm down or he might get the wrong idea and do something he'll regret. Again.

"A-Am I ok? WHAT HAPPENED!?" He's panicking, they need to think of something. And fast. "I should be dead, why am I not dead?"

"We want to help you TeruTeru, we're sorry how everything went down. We'll explain everything".

Before another word could be said, Mikan's pod opened on it's own. It was set to open moments after TeruTeru's pod opened so Hajime and Nagito could have some one on one time with him. Now it's her turn, or so they thought.

Mikan sat up quickly, Hajime knew right away that something wasn't right. Nagito caught on as well, TeruTeru wasn't yelling anymore but he was still panicking. "What's up with her?"

"Is she okay?"

"No, she's not".

Mikan turned towards the guys once she heard their voices, her eyes reminded Hajime of the time Nagito went crazy during the first trial, as if Hope and Despair had been crudely mixed together. Definitely not a good sign. As if that wasn't enough, she started to drool and laugh to herself.

"Seriously, what's up with her!?"

"S-She's gone". That's all that came out of her, until she got up and out of the pod. Keeping eye contact with the others the whole time. "You took her away, my beloved".

"Mikan, please listen to what we have to say. Please". He had to say something. pleading with her seemed like the only option he had. For now.

Instead of saying anything else, Mikan grabbed a syringe full of a liquid od some sort, most likely a drug that'll make you feel Despair. It turns out she had that on her person the whole time, among many others.

She screamed as she pounced towards TeruTeru, trying to inject him with the drug. But there was something keeping the syringe form TeruTeru.

"Haha… that stings".

"NAGITO!" Hajime couldn't help but be worried. Mikan's syringe penetrated Nagito's shoulder, he put himself in between the needle and TeruTeru. On purpose.

Before she could do anything else, Hajime quickly grabbed her arms and squeezed them enough to make her let go of the syringe. Nagito grabbed the needle and pulled it out of his shoulder, worried about what it'll do to him. Hajime waited for Mikan to speak.

"I…I…" Mikan started to cry, they waited for her to continue. If she were going to explain herself, this would be the right time. "What have I done?"

"She's crazy…" TeruTeru couldn't help but say it. no one else was going to say it, probably because they knew about her malice, but he didn't. "I don't get it; I don't remember her being like that!"

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry". The crazy look in her eyes disappeared completely.

"What was in that syringe, Mikan?"

"I… don't remember… it could've been anything". She seemed very apologetic after what transpired. It's like she snapped out of her trance when she realized what she did. Something hajime had to keep in mind.

"It's okay… I don't feel anything". A confident remark coming from a guy who hardly reacts to anything bad.

"Are you sure?"

"For now, at least. I don't think it's something to worry about".

"Come on, let's head for the marina. Everybody should be back by now". Nagito agreed right away, TeruTeru was hesitant at first but he slowly agreed as well. Mikan felt guilty so she also agreed.

"B-By everybody… you m-mean".

Kazuichi, Sonia, Akane, Fuyuhiko, Mahiru and Peko". Nagito answered.

"MAHIRU… PEKO! They're alive!? It seems she didn't realize she tried to attack TeruTeru, someone she ALSO saw die. Hajime had to point at him, so she noticed.

"You do realise TeruTeru's alive too, right?"

"Ah… I'm sorry".


	27. EXPANSION

"When you're over there, be careful, okay?"

"Okay".

Kazuichi watched as Hajime walked away with his vomit covered clothes, he wondered if the rest of them will be okay without Hajime. "As long as we stay together, I think we'll be okay".

He made his way to the marina where the others were, hoping they don't react that much. Wishful thinking, he almost forgot who he was dealing with. All he could do was endure it.

"What do you mean he's not coming!?"

"He needs to go get cleaned up AND keep an eye on Nagito so nothing bad happens". Of course, Akane would be mad, the others looked worried but at least they're not panicking. "It'll be okay, we can do this without him, we just need to collect anything useful and put them in the back of the barge".

"Okay, shouldn't be that hard". It seems that Mahiru has already named herself leader, everyone was paying attention to her instead of Kazuichi. "Let's go".

Everyone hopped on board the barge as Kazuichi made his way to where the wheel was located, he was very worried about getting motion sickness again. Unless he isn't going, he has to go through it. "Okay… here we go".

The engine started working, no problem so far. The barge is moving perfectly, he really thought something bad would happen at this point. He stopped thinking about possible mistakes that could ruin everything and switched his focus to steering.

"By the way, I need to know something". Mahiru approached Sonia with something to ask. Sonia was very happy to be able to talk to Mahiru again but was a little concerned.

"What's the matter?"

"He gave his body to shield the one he loves" The moment she said those words, Akane quickly turned her attention to Sonia and Mahiru, she knew what was coming next. "What did you mean by that?"

"Oh!" Sonia seemed very excited; her eyes sprinkled like before. Akane turned her back to them and covered her face because she was embarrassed. "AKANE AND HAJIME ARE IN LOVE!"

"WHAT!" Her reaction was understandable for the most part, but she looked like she was about to pass out.

"I know, right? Isn't it amazing?" Mahiru couldn't believe what she just heard, Akane looked worse, her whole face was red. Again, understandable.

"Really. Congratulations". Peko was surprised, but not that much. Fuyuhiko facepalmed after hearing all that.

"For fuck's sake, is it going to be like this with everyone else?"

"We're here!" Fuyuhiko's question would have to go unanswered because they have officially arrived at the second island, now the hard part begins.

Kazuichi was the first to get off the barge as he had to tie it down to something, like a tree. Something that won't move or break. The moment he tied it down, he could feel the motion sickness hitting him. "Oh…no".

The others saw Kazuichi ran off into the woods, they were surprised he even lasted this long. "He'll be fine, let's get this over with". Fuyuhiko reassured everyone, that's a first.  
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Kazuichi was completely surrounded by trees, at least he won't puke on anyone this time. After he relieved himself he took a minute to take in the scenery, he was extremely shocked when he realised that there were corpse everywhere. Not recent, thankfully. They're mostly skeletons and they smelt terrible.

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" Kazuichi turned to see Fuyuhiko and the girls, same shocked expression as him, not surprising that Mahiru and Sonia couldn't help but scream, Peko and Akane were just speechless.

They never imagined that they would see something like this since they escaped the killing game, but most of the world looks just like this. Some countries look like war zones, others are like Chernobyl, completely abandoned. Seeing a dead body wasn't new to the group but the ones they saw were all fresh or a day old at least. These ones could have been here since the tragedy started.

"Jabberwock island used to have people here, didn't they?" Akane was making sense, this definitely peaked Sonia's interest since she read about this in the library of the virtual world. "Maybe these guys are former residents".

"Well, what do we do? Should we do something about this?" Peko voiced her concern.

"I wouldn't feel right if we didn't do anything, let's give them a proper burial". Sonia felt guilty, people died because of them being influenced by Junko Enoshima and her Despair.

"Fine. Sonia, Peko and I will stay here and bury these bodies. Mahiru, Akane and Kazuichi go look around for equipment that could be useful". This time, Fuyuhiko took charge. Peko seemed surprised to see Fuyuhiko being a team player, he's definitely changing for the better.

"Alright, let's go. We've got work to do". Mahiru says as she leads the way.  
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"Geez. These building don't look anything like the ones from the simulation. What happened?" Mahiru was the first to speak, catching the attention of Akane and Kazuichi.

"Those people must have gone crazy and killed each other… like us, I mean we've killed a lot of people". Kazuichi felt depressed saying that.

"Are you sure? I mean maybe Junko lied to us". Akane brought up a good point, maybe it's a possibility.

"Junko was insane, but I don't think she lied. There were a few things she didn't make clear, but she seemed very serious". Not what Mahiru and Akane wanted to hear but it's not like they could deny it. they didn't know what to think. "I'll check over there, you two search around this area. If you find anything useful, take it back to the barge".

They watched Kazuichi walk off into the distance, something useful must be here somewhere. Mahiru took this opportunity to talk to Akane alone. "Hey, are you really in love with Hajime?"

She nearly had a heart attack after being asked that, unfortunately it's not like she could avoid answering the question. Her face was bright red like before, she then covered her face with her hands, Mahiru couldn't believe what she was witnessing.

"Oh my god, you DO love him!"

"… yeah". It took a bit to get that out of her, but at least Mahiru finally understood what was going on. "Can we just focus on finding stuff already?" She's trying to change the subject, poorly I might add.

"Okay… but when we get back, I'm talking to Hajime about this".

"Dammit".  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"To those who lost their lives in the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history, we are so sorry. We don't know how you died, but if it's because of us and people like Junko Enoshima, then once again we apologise. Hopefully, you'll be able to rest in peace". Sonia was saying a few words of respect to the dead, hoping it makes the group feel better.

"Come on, we should help the others with finding useful equipment". Peko suggested they go find the others.

"Right". Fuyuhiko responded.

"Hey guys, you mind helping me out?" Kazuichi returned to let the others know that he found something, something heavy perhaps. "I found a few useful things, not much though".

"Then let's get a move on already!" Fuyuhiko is at his limit. He just wants to go back to his cottage to rest.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
An hour has passed since Kazuichi, Peko, Sonia and Fuyuhiko set off to bring the useful equipment back to the barge, Akane and Mahiru were already waiting there. Sadly, they didn't have the same luck with finding anything useful, all they could do was help with the other's equipment. They didn't seem to care that much.

"This is it? I expected to fill the barge to the top. You think Hajime will be disappointed?" Again, Peko was the first the speak up.

"A little bit, perhaps". Sonia responded with uncertainty.

"I feel like he might kill me". Kazuichi said that based on what happened back on the airfield, the others didn't reply. "He can be pretty scary".

"He is very intimidating, but he is a good person". Sonia voiced her opinion next, trying not to disrespect her friend behind his back.

"What's up with his eye? It wasn't red before". Of course, someone was bound to ask that question sooner or later and it had to be Mahiru.

"I think it's best if he explains that himself". She defended him; Sonia was happy to see Akane defend the one she loves.

"So, we're done right? Then let get back on the barge and fucking go home!" He finally snapped; Peko was surprised of how much he's changed. The old Fuyuhiko wouldn't have helped at all.

"Yeah, let's go home".  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Here we are, the marina". Hajime, Nagito, Mikan and TeruTeru were at the marina, waiting for the others to return, hopefully with enough equipment to keep them going.

"Hey Hajime, should we check out this warehouse? It could have something interesting inside". Nagito said as he was about to open the front door, was it a good idea? Only one way to find out.

"Alright, Mikan and TeruTeru, come with us. If there's something in there, we might need your help".

"O-Okay".

"I'll do my best".

Nagito opened the door to a dark room, they couldn't see anything. Maybe there was a light switch somewhere. Nagito started to feel the wall trying to find the light switch. Thankfully, he found it, the moment he felt it, he flicked it and the lights went on. It was bright at first, but when their visions cleared, they saw it was filled with A LOT of supplies. Medkits, food crates, different kinds of tools, almost everything they could imagine.

"WOW! Look at all the ingredients!" TeruTeru was practically drooling when he saw all the food. Mikan did the same when she saw all the medical supplies.

"Wait a minute, was this here the whole time?" Nagito couldn't help but ask. Hajime facepalmed realizing that Kazuichi's little trip might have been a waste of time.

"Apparently, would have been nice if Makoto and the others informed as about this warehouse. Kazuichi's not going to be pleased".

"Hey, look who's back!" Nagito pointed to the water where the barge was spotted heading it's way back to the marina. "From the looks of it, they brought back very little. But I'm sure they tried their best".

"I'm sure they did. Come on, let's go greet them". He and Nagito went to the dock without Mikan and TeruTeru, he wanted to keep their awakening a surprise, for now.

After tying the barge down, Kazuichi once again ran off to go relieve himself, Hajime couldn't help but chuckle a little. The others saw Hajime and Nagito waiting for them and ran up to them. "What have you guys been doing?" Mahiru was the first to approach them.

They said nothing, all they did was point at the warehouse. Everyone made their way inside; they couldn't believe what they saw. "That's a lot of food, I'll never go hungry again". Akane was obviously happy to see the contents of the warehouse.

"I know, right?" TeruTeru popped his head around the corner, startling most of them.

"TeruTeru!? You're awake!?"

"It's not just me".

At that moment they all heard a sound, something fell over. They all rushed over to where the noise was coming from. They were surprised to see Mikan in a sticky situation, on the floor and soaked in milk and other drinks.

"Mikan too!?"

"I'm sorry… please… forgive me".

"Let's focus on getting everything off the barge first. Mikan, go clean yourself up".

"O-Okay".

"TeruTeru, Akane, Peko, Fuyuhiko and Sonia. You guys handle the barge. Kazuichi, Mahiru, Mikan, Nagito and I will take crates from the warehouse to the restaurant. It's getting dark so we better hurry.


	28. HAPPY DAYS

Hajime's eyes opened to see his cottage ceiling, realizing he's lying in his bed. He doesn't seem to remember how he got there in the first place. After a few seconds, he finally remembered. After everyone finished restocking the restaurant and emptying the barge, everyone left for their cottages cause of how late it was. Hajime being the most tired, waking up FOUR people in one day and doing most of the heavy lifting. Who could blame him?

But… something doesn't fell right. He felt hot, just when he was about to get up, Hajime turned to his left to see Akane sleeping in his bed with him. Instead of being shocked like he thought he would be, a small grin appeared on his face. He was happy to be so close to her. Though the two of them have slept in the same bed and kissed, once. She must have come in last night while he was sleeping.

Without realizing, Hajime's eyes started to wonder. He couldn't help but stare at Akane while she slept, his eyes eventually made it to her chest. At that point he quickly looked away and started to blush, at least she wasn't awake to notice, unfortunately he failed to see Akane had her eyes slightly open. She didn't see everything happen; she woke up the same time he turned away. But she can see him blushing. At that moment she also had a small grin appear on her face. Instead of saying anything, Akane reached out to him with both her arms. The moment her hands grabbed him; Hajime was pulled back into the laying position before he could react.

Once again, Hajime was lying down with his face deep in Akane's chest. It's almost like in exchange for using her chest as pillows, she was using him as a body pillow. She held onto him pretty tightly, smiling as she did it. hajime on the other hand was bright red, he then realized Akane wasn't doing this to comfort him like before, she was teasing him.

Her grip loosened so he'd be able to pull back and speak without worrying about suffocating. She couldn't help but laugh at how red his face was.

"Good morning, Akane".

"Morning". Still laughing with a smile on her face.

"As much as I'd like to stay in bed all day with you, we should probably get up and meet the others at the restaurant for breakfast. Unless of course, you're not hungry". Now it was his turn to tease her.

"Are you kidding? Don't turn this around".

"Ok sorry. By the way. Did anyone see you come into my cottage last night? Might be bad if they got the wrong idea".

"Nah, everyone was asleep… are you going to wake up someone else today? There's only five people left". She seemed very interested in the matter, most likely because one of those five was Nekomaru.

"Yeah… maybe I'll spend the rest of the day by the pool after all that work, I could use a break. Hopefully, everyone will join me".

"Sounds like fun, I think I'll join you". Hajime was happy to hear that, until he remembered something important. She once said that she thought being seen in a swimsuit was embarrassing, apparently more embarrassing then being seen naked. She seemed to notice the worried expression he had on his face. "Don't worry, I'll wear a swimsuit".

"Oh o-ok good, was a bit worried".

"I'm surprised you remember that".

"You didn't seem to be embarrassed when we were at the diner before the second trial, was it because you fought Nekomaru?"

"I guess I forgot about it". She missed sparring with Coach Nekomaru and couldn't wait for him to wake up so they can fight again, but she liked sparring with Hajime too. "Should we get up now?"

"Yeah. You go to the restaurant and tell the others about the pool; I'll go to the control room and get started. It's best I'm alone for that".

"Fine". They both got out of bed, Akane was about to leave until she turned around to see Hajime changing clothes. He was in the middle of taking his shirt off when he looked at her. The moment she was caught, Akane quickly left with a light blush on her face.

All he could do was smile. "This is nice".  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"The pool, huh? I'd love to join you". Makes sense that Sonia would want to accompany her friend to something so fun.

"What about you guys?" Akane turned to face everyone else.

"Whatever". Fuyuhiko didn't seem to care, but at least it was something to do.

"I'll be there". No one was surprised to hear Peko say yes after Fuyuhiko gave his answer.

"I-I'll go too, if you're all okay with it". Mikan was next.

"Five girls in swimsuits, I'm in!" of course TeruTeru loves the idea, not a single person there was surprised.

"Okay". Mahiru didn't put up a fight, she didn't want to be the only one not there.

"Miss Sonia in a swimsuit… finally the time has come! I'll finally see Miss Sonia in a SWIMSUIT!"

"Great, a real bonding moment, let's go and have some fun". Nagito surprisingly gave a normal answer for once.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The more times he does it, the easier it gets. Instead of an hour, waking two people up simultaneously now takes forty-five minutes. He was able to get it done fifteen minutes early because he really wanted to go hang out by the pool with the others.

Like before, he made sure that one of the pods would open a few minuets before the next one. "Hopefully, this won't be like Mikan and Nagito all over again".

The first pod opened and the person inside sat up with their eyes closed, he really needs to do something about the lights, they're too bright.

"What… what happened? What's with the bright lights? Am I dead?"

"No, you're okay. I think". Seeing her like reminded him of how crazy and hyper she was while in the virtual world. "Do you know who I am… Ibuki?"

"HEY HAJIME!" He didn't expect her to jump out of the pod and hug him. He nearly fell over, luckily he was able to keep balance during the hug. "I love your eye, it looks awesome".

"Thanks, I'm glad to see that you're feeling okay".

"Where's everyone else?"

"At the pool in front of the restaurant, but you should probably stay here for a little bit".

"Huh? Why?"

The second pod opened; she was shocked to see it open on it's own. Ibuki was calm for the most part, but she kept asking questions. Hajime wasn't focused on her; he was focused on the second person waking up.

"Oh, my head hurts".

"Hiyoko?"

She turned to see Hajime and Ibuki standing there by her pod, she thought they were watching her sleep.

"What are you two looking at!?"

She sat up and got out of her pod, she stood up she realized she was the same height as Ibuki. Hiyoko looked down and saw that her chest was bigger than she remembered, she nearly started to panic. Ibuki was a little bit annoyed with Hiyoko's sudden growth spurt.

"What the hell? What's going on?"

"It's okay, I'll explain everything to both of you. By the way, she's alive".

"What are you talking abou-"

"Mahiru… Peko and TeruTeru too…"

"Really? That's amazing! Let's go see them!"

"First, go to the warehouse near the marina and get some swimsuits. Everyone's by the pool. They'll be very happy to see you".

"Come on Hiyoko, let's go!" Ibuki said as she grabbed Hiyoko's arm and pulled her away, heading straight for the warehouse.

"I better head down there too; I'll be sure to tell Mikan to apologise to the two of them. Hiyoko probably won't forgive her".

All the girls are awake now. All that's left is Nekomaru, Gundham and the Imposter. He started to get depressed when he realized Chiaki wasn't going to rejoin the group. "I really need to get it together, for everyone's sake".


	29. BREAK

"I don't care if you ate five minutes ago, get in the fucking pool!" Fuyuhiko was telling Kazuichi off while TeruTeru watched from the side-lines, sun screen in hand. Not a good sign, perversion at its finest.

"I don't want to get a cramp while I'm swimming, I'll look bad in front of Miss Sonia!" Was that really his reason? There's a chance he could drown and all he cared about is not making an ass of himself in front of Sonia. As he's done multiple times during the killing game.

"Come on Kazuichi, I believe in you. Jump right in" Nagito was sitting by the pool with his feet in the water. Kazuichi, Fuyuhiko and TeruTeru felt uneasy looking at Nagito's left shoulder and not seeing an arm. Just bandages that desperately need changing.

"I'm getting impatient here, are the girls done changing yet?"

"How long did it take to get into that speedo you're wearing?"

"Less than a minute, why?"

"Girls take much longer than one minute to get ready for anything, so be a good little pervert and keep it in your speedo".

Kazuichi was laughing while TeruTeru was looking like he was enjoying the verbal abuse, something a masochist would also enjoy.

"I wonder when Hajime will be joining us? This was his idea after all".

"You called?" Right on cue, as if he were waiting for someone to talk about him. "Hope you don't mind, but I brought a few friends".

"Who?"

"CANNONBALL!" Again, right on cue. Ibuki runs past Hajime and jumps into the pool. Splashing water all over the boys.

"Where's Mahiru?" Hiyoko was standing behind Hajime, whispering that question into his ear. "I… need to see if you're telling the truth".

"I think she's in there". He pointed at the restaurant, hoping that's where the girls are changing. "But before you go, go easy on Mikan okay? Please".

She didn't say anything in response. It's up to her if she wants to listen to Hajime's advice or not, but she's about to confront the woman who killed her and Ibuki during the killing game. Things between them will never be the same again.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Are you ready? I think Hajime's going to like this". Sonia seemed to be giving Akane a pep talk before heading out to the pool with the others. This time, there's no fight with Nekomaru to distract her.

"You'll be fine".

"We'll be there with you". Peko and Mahiru gave words of encouraged as well.

All Akane did was smile at them. Instead of being nervous, she now looked excited to walk out those doors.

"M-Mahiru…"

The girls turned their heads to the main entrance, where Hiyoko was standing. Mikan was scared, makes sense.

"Hiyoko?"

She stood there started to cry, these tears were definitely real. As real as they can be. Hiyoko ran to Mahiru and wrapped her arms around her. The others just stood there and didn't say anything, they all smiled. All but Mikan, who was hiding behind Peko. Hoping to avoid Hiyoko when she realizes that Mikan is right there. But to no avail. Hiyoko turned towards Mikan and walked up to her, looking straight into her eyes.

"I don't like you; I don't respect you and I don't trust you". She was blunt, no one was shocked to hear that. Not even Mikan was surprised.

"I'm so sorr-"

"But… I forgive you". Now that shocked everyone, Mikan especially. Hiyoko then turned to Peko, she would never forget Mahiru's killer. "All is forgiven, but not forgotten".  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
"Looks like the girls are ready". Nagito said as he noticed the hotel lobby doors opening, everyone was now looking by the entrance.

"Finally!" Kazuichi was excited, much to no one's surprise. He was very happy to see Sonia exit the building first, but then he noticed what she was wearing. "AHHH! Another wetsuit!"

"The others helped me put it on, does it look good?"

"I have never seen anything more beautiful then what I'm witnessing right now". That was corny, even for a pervert.

Hiyoko and Mahiru came out next, they both looked very happy. Wearing normal school swimsuits, the boys found it little weird that Hiyoko was curvier than Mahiru. She grew a lot during their time at Hope's Peak Academy. Mikan followed, wearing a regular pink swimsuit. TeruTeru kept his eyes on her, hoping she would have one of her 'accidents'.

"Are you excited?" Hajime was looking at Fuyuhiko, hoping he would turn red about seeing Peko in a swimsuit.

"Are you?" he should've seen that coming.

Before another word could be said, Akane and Peko finally came out of the hotel. Peko was wearing the exact same swimsuit she wore before she murdered Mahiru, Akane was also wearing the same swimsuit from before the murder, but instead of white and blue it was white and yellow. Fuyuhiko and Hajime couldn't help but stare, didn't take too long for them to snap out of it.

"You know, there is such a thing as waiting too long".

"Using my own words against me, huh? How original". Telling Peko how he felt was the only thing on his mind, now the question remains, how. He definitely doesn't want to fight her like Hajime did with Akane, he wouldn't be able to beat her unless telling her not to fight would work, knowing then it probably would.

"Hey… do I look okay?" Akane was standing in front of them, wondering if Hajime liked her swimsuit. Fuyuhiko nudged Hajime in the shoulder to get his attention, since Hajime was rubbing his shoulder and blushing, he was definitely paying attention now.

"I… uh… you look beautiful". He looked down, trying to hide his face. He was blushing a lot at this point, but he wasn't the only one. Akane looked down as well, she was also blushing, but she was smiling. Fuyuhiko felt very uncomfortable being in the middle of all that and he was about to get up and leave, until he felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Can I talk to you guys, alone?" She was talking to Hajime as well, something feels off. Mahiru looked very serious, since she wanted to talk to Fuyuhiko after everything that happened between them, hopefully nothing gets out of hand. Mahiru walked to her cottage where Hiyoko and Peko were waiting for them to arrive, looks like their fun has come to an end.

"So… what is this about?" It's rare for Fuyuhiko to act so nervous.

"It's about you… and your sister".

He flinched after hearing that, even Hajime was tense. He knew Natsumi Kuzuryu during his time in the Reserve course, Mahiru's probably the only one who knows this, he'll have to tell Fuyuhiko sooner or later.

"Your friend Sato killed her and Fuyuhiko killed Sato as revenge". Being brutally honest isn't Hajime's strong suit, but it needs to be said.

"Yeah… and I remember Sato trying to protect me, but someone was trying to protect Natsumi".

"Who?" Peko asked so Fuyuhiko didn't have to.

"Sato didn't have a talent, so she wasn't in the main course at Hope's Peak, she was in the Reserve course". Everyone turned to face Hajime, the only student from the Reserve course who survived the tragedy. Fuyuhiko looked extremely shocked to hear that Hajime possibly knew his sister without knowing.

"Yeah… it was me". It looked like Mahiru already knew it was him, she must remember everything that happened. Hiyoko was a bit confused but she kept her mouth shut. Fuyuhiko on the other hand looked like he wanted to punch Hajime, not like he hasn't done it before. Peko also kept quiet just in case there's more to the story.

"I was her only friend. She probably didn't see it that way. But I did".

"When she was killed, where were you?"

"I found out the day after it happened, same time everyone else did. Sato and Natsumi were the only ones in the building at the time, until the janitor found her body. Sato made it look like it just happened while Hiyoko, Mikan, Ibuki and Mahiru were in the entrance hall. Her death made me believe the Izuru Kamakura project was my only choice, I'm sorry… all of you".

Fuyuhiko walked towards Hajime in order to look him dead in the eyes, even though he was much shorter than him and both of them had one fucked up eye. Only difference is that Hajime can still see through it. Fuyuhiko's right eye is never going to work again. Out of nowhere, Fuyuhiko takes off his eyepatch and gives it to Hajime, then he placed his fist against Hajime's chest. A smile formed across Fuyuhiko's face.

"Thank you for being her friend, I won't be needing this anymore". Hajime smiled in response, the others were either surprised, confused or happy to see Fuyuhiko take the news so well. Mostly confused.

The five of them were about to rejoin the others, until Fuyuhiko grabbed Peko's arm. Asking her to stay without even saying a word. Hajime looked over his shoulder and saw everything. He smiled as Mahiru and Hiyoko went back to the pool, but Hajime wanted to see this. So, he hid behind the cottage that was closest to the pool, Mikan's cottage. Peko and Fuyuhiko were still by Mahiru's cottage which was three cottages from Hajime and the path to the pool and hotel. Most people wouldn't be able to hear much from that distance unless they were being very loud, but Hajime's an exception, probably the only exception to that rule.

"Hey… what're you doing?" Akane saw Hajime leaning against the cottage, obviously curious on what he and the others were talking about. He pointed to his left and Akane looked around the corner to see Peko and Fuyuhiko talking about something. luckily for her, Akane has amazing hearing, so both of them could hear what they were saying.

"I need to tell you something".

"Yes?"

"Everything I said before you were executed, I meant it. I wanted to tell you this sooner, but I couldn't find the proper words".

"Really?"

"Yeah… look… I… I lo-" Before he could finish, Peko wrapped her arms around him, causing Fuyuhiko to blush. Hajime and Akane smiled at the sight of Fuyuhiko turning red. Something they've never seen before.

"I feel the same. Please allow me to stay by your side".

"I expect nothing less… I love you Peko".

"I love you too young ma- … Fuyuhiko".

"Did you set him up to this?" A question she didn't need to ask, but she asked anyway.

"Maybe". After that response, Akane punched Hajime in the shoulder, causing him to laugh, only a light chuckle. Not loud enough to alert Peko and Fuyuhiko.

"Why did you help him?"

"Because he helped me". He said as he reached out and held Akane's hand, causing her to blush.

"Any second thoughts?"

"Not one". He was about to move in for a kiss until Ibuki came out of nowhere and surprised both of them.

"Oohh, am I missing something here?" Ibuki had the biggest grin on her face. This caused Akane to let go of Hajime's hand cover her face with her hands. Fuyuhiko and Peko came around the corner and walked right into the middle of it all. Fuyuhiko turns to Hajime and smiled maliciously.

"Serves you right".


	30. PROMISES

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUTHOR'S NOTE: this chapter is a prequel, it takes place before chapter 1. just in case you get confused.

Darkness. That's all Hajime can see for some reason. The last thing he can remember was him and the others defeating Junko Enoshima and activating the shutdown sequence with the help of Makoto Naegi and his friends. What is going on? Where was he? And how does he get out? He was still trying to process everything until he saw a bright light, a voice can be heard also.

"Izuru! Can you hear me?" That's Makoto's voice. Before he could react, the light became extremely bright and Hajime had no choice but to cover his eyes.

Everything was still hard to see thanks to the light, but it all started to become visible. Hajime could see someone leaning over him, he couldn't tell if they were good or bad. Until he heard that voice again.

"Do you… know who I am?" Hajime sat up to see Makoto standing right next to the pod he was laying in.

"Makoto Naegi, member of the Future Foundation".

"Are you Izuru Kamakura? Or are you Hajime Hinata?" It's just one question after another.

"I'm… Hajime Hinata". He was a bit hesitant answering that one, but even Hajime had to be sure about who he was. Until he looked down at his body, he was wearing his Hope's Peak Academy uniform. Like what he wore during the simulation, with a blazer and. But that didn't shock him at all. What did was when he got up and looked into a mirror in the storage room, he was stunned. Long black hair and his left eye was red. A painful reminder that Izuru Kamakura will be apart of him for the rest his life.

He patted himself down and flinched when he got to his pockets, he reached in and pulled out something that even Makoto couldn't believe, Chiaki's hair piece. A pixelated ship. Hajime noticed the ship was getting wet, tears were running down his face.

"Looks like he'll be fine, the others better be this easy". Makoto and Hajime turned around to see Byakuya Togami and Kyoko Kirigiri standing by the exit. Kyoko was holding a pair of scissors and staring at Hajime.

"Before we wake up your friends, do you want me to cut your hair?"

"Please, I don't want them to see me like this". He didn't even think about it, he hated the way he looked.  
\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
About twenty minutes have passed, Hajime was back to his usual self. No blazer, short hair and luckily he didn't have any limbs missing. Nagito seemed to be the only one missing a limb, his left arm to be specific. Everyone else seemed okay, but he couldn't get distracted. He needed to focus on waking up Sonia, Fuyuhiko, Akane and Kazuichi. The other survivors of the killing game.

"Are you guys ready?"

"Yeah".

"Just do it already".

"I can't help but be concerned". Hajime seemed to be the only one worried. Makes sense, he doesn't know what they did to wake him up.

"Fuck… my head hurts". Fuyuhiko was the first to wake up. He noticed he couldn't see through his right eye; he couldn't even open it. he stood up and went to the closest mirror he could find, the one in the storage room and looked into it just as Hajime did before. Fuyuhiko tried to force his eye open, using his fingers, it worked. He started shaking when he didn't see his eye, but one that belonged to someone else, Junko Enoshima. He almost tried to rip it out, but he turned around when he heard footsteps, Fuyuhiko was now face to face with Hajime. "…Hajime?"

"And I thought my eye was fucked up". He laughed while extending his hand, hoping for a handshake.

"You look like shit". He replied as he shook Hajime's hand, they couldn't help but chuckle.

"Can someone tell me what's happening? Please?" Kazuichi was staring at the two of them, completely confused. Fuyuhiko and Hajime just smiled at him. "Woah, your eyes look weird".

"Guys?"

The three boys looked back at the pods to see Sonia and Akane staring at them. It's official, all five of the killing game survivors are awake. Before another word could be said, Sonia ran up and hugged Fuyuhiko and Hajime at the same time. "I'm so glad you guys are okay!" Sonia had tears running down her face, Kazuichi couldn't help but tear up too, even though he was left out of the hug.

As soon as Akane realized what's going on, she joined in on the group hug, also leaving Kazuichi out of it.

"You done yet? This is getting uncomfortable". Byakuya was standing behind the group, an irritated look on his face. "If you're done, I'd like to leave now".

"Here". Kyoko gives Hajime papers on the seventy seventh class, everyone was there, even the Imposter had his profile there, though there was not much to go on. "Everything about Izuru Kamakura was kept top secret and everything about Hajime Hinata was deleted, everyone's profiles are there, expect yours. Sorry Hajime".

"Who's Ryota Mitarai?"

"Ultimate Animator, I don't remember him at all". Akane leaned over Hajime's shoulder to check the profiles for herself.

"Currently, Ryota is missing. Been missing since the tragedy began".

"Do you think he's dead?"

"The Future Foundation have profiled everyone was killed during the tragedy. Millions of people have died. Ryota may be missing, but he isn't dead".

"That's crazy! Millions of people have died, and we probably caused most of them!"

"Yep, the Future Foundation is what's trying to fix the world and make it the way it was before, when everything was peaceful and happy".

"What about us?" Everyone turned to face Hajime. "What do you want us to do?"

"This is the REAL Jabberwock island; we expect you to live here. There's enough food here to last a lifetime. There are no bridges connecting the islands, I'm sure you'll find something useful laying around. Also, the other islands haven't been searched. We don't know what's over there. So, check it out at your risk".

"Live here? What if your buddies at HQ decide to come here and… say hi?" Akane couldn't help but ask that question.

"They don't know you're here and we plan to keep it that way".

"Thank you". Once again, everyone turned their attention to Hajime, saying the two words no one has said yet. "Thank for saving us".

"We need to get going, we'll have to go into hiding for a bit until we return." Kyoko said as she was about to leave. "Don't worry, we won't tell anyone you're here. We promise".  
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'And so… the ordeal has ended. And from here, our daily lives here started. Lives that are much absurd, nonsensical and irrational than before… things are… probably going to be a lot more difficult now. There's no such thing as an answered mystery. It's doubtful whether or not things will even end well'.

'The Future isn't a path, it's like an endless sea… you can try to go anywhere but it doesn't mean you'll get there. Even so, I will keep on living. I will keep on living as Hajime Hinata. My future… lies here'.

A good view so he can witness Makoto, Kyoko and Byakuya leave on their ship. Leaving the island for good. All Hajime could do was watch, all the questions he had about Izuru Kamakura will have to go unanswered. "Every talent", that much he understood right away. They could come in handy, though he couldn't be happy about it.

"Hey Hajime! come on!" Akane shouted at him. Trying to get his attention. "You have a lot of talents right? Cook me something!"

All he could do was smile. "Okay". He walked up to her and put his hand out in front of him, "If you promise to eat it all. No matter what it is".

"Look at who you're talking to!" She said as she grabbed his hand and pulled him in towards her. Wrapping her arm over his shoulder and pulling along. Waiting for the others to wake up will probably take a while, or it'll be a waste of time. Hopefully all the waiting will be worth it. who knows? Kazuichi's currently working on getting the power back up and running. Fuyuhiko was just trying to chill while he waits, and Sonia wanted to help in any way she could. They didn't have to choose a future; they could just create one. Hajime will never forget that, it came from an important source after all… a good friend.


	31. SEARCH AND RESCUE

The group was having so much fun hanging by the pool that they decided to change locations, from the pool to the beach. The pool wasn't that big, especially with twelve people swimming in it. The beach was a lot more spacious so everyone would be able to do whatever they wanted without any limitations.

Everyone was doing something different. Sonia was in the water with Ibuki, they were having fun by splashing water at each other. Kazuichi was there too, trying to get Sonia's attention by flexing in his camouflage trunks, at least he wasn't wearing a speedo like before. No matter how hard he tried, Sonia didn't pay any attention to him. Until he tripped over a rock in the water, not paying attention to where he was placing his feet. Kazuichi fell straight into the water, luckily it wasn't that deep. When he got back up, he felt embarrassed. Makes sense, since he just made a fool of himself in front of the girl he likes. Then again it's not like it's the first time.

"Kazuichi… are you ok? That looked like it really hurt". Sonia was worried, Ibuki too.

"Ahh… yeah I'm fine". As he was trying to reassure Ibuki and Sonia, he felt something move in his hair. It was a crab, a small pink one. The girls saw the little critter in Kazuichi's hair, it wasn't the same shade as his hair, so it was pretty easy to see. The three of them couldn't help but laugh.

Meanwhile, TeruTeru was standing in the sand thinking to himself. Sunscreen still in hand, his eyes widened as if he just had an idea, knowing him nothing good could come out of this. TeruTeru walked up to Mahiru and Hiyoko, who were just sitting down, admiring the view. The moment the girls realized he was standing right behind them; they knew something perverted was running through his mind.

"Hey ladies, do you mind helping me with putting on this sunscreen? I don't want to get sunburned and I can't put this on my back by myself. I would appreciate it if you would lend me a hand, of four". He was practically drooling while he said that. Obliviously a bad sign.

"You sick bastard! Like hell we would-"

"Okay". Now that was unexpected, Mahiru would never agree to do something so perverted, especially with a guy like TeruTeru. Hiyoko was shocked at Mahiru's response, it would be surprising if she weren't shocked.

"Ooh thank you Mahiru". Even TeruTeru was surprised by her answer. But that didn't stop him from lying down in the sand on his back, waiting for the sunscreen to slowly be absorbed into his skin. But something was wrong, Mahiru put the sunscreen down and then turned to face Hiyoko.

She leaned over so she could whisper into Hiyoko's ear, based on the smile forming om Hiyoko's face, Mahiru must have had a plan. Hiyoko seemed to really enjoy this plan, it's not like they were actually going to rub sunscreen all over his body.

"Hey TeruTeru, could you please close your eyes? Doing this while you watch would be kind of embarrassing".

"Of course. Feeling is better than seeing anyway". A pervert till the end. He closed his eyes and that's when Mahiru and Hiyoko made their move. Instead of grabbing the sunscreen, they grabbed a handful of sand and placed it on TeruTeru's stomach. He flinched once he felt the sand touching his skin, not like he knew it was sand since his eyes were closed. And he kept them closed as Mahiru and Hiyoko placed a lot of sand on him. Are they trying to bury him in sand?

Mikan was sitting in the sand also, but she seemed like she didn't intend on getting in the water. In one of her hands, Mikan was holding onto a syringe. Without hesitation she injected herself with whatever was in that syringe.

"Mikan! What are you doing!?" Sonia noticed the syringe while she was swimming with Kazuichi and Ibuki, once she saw Mikan inject herself she ran towards her to see what's going on. "Why did you do that?"

"Ah… I'm sorry! But it's… not like I injected… something bad into me. It's like… an antidote".

"Antidote?"

"I've been feeling… odd since waking up from… the k-killing game. Like I'm… s-struggling with my sanity! Like I'm about to do… something crazy again". Sonia can't believe Mikan kept this a secret. She probably didn't want to be a nuisance to everyone. "B-Based on what was in my syringes when I woke up… from the killing game, I tried to… make something that had the opposite effect".

"A syringe that injects Hope instead of Despair into people?... does it work?"

"So far… yes! I… d-do feel a bit better, it might take a while for it to fully take effect".

"Then why don't you come with me, come have some fun with us!" Sonia said as she grabbed Mikan's hand and pulled her to her feet, Mikan was showing a light smile while Sonia was pulling her along.

Fuyuhiko and Peko were under a palm tree, relaxing in the shade. Fuyuhiko was sleeping, using Peko's lap as a pillow. Peko couldn't help but smile while staring at her former young master now love interest.

"Everyone's having so much fun, it's best if I don't get involved. I don't want to ruin their fun". Nagito was watching afar, he decided not to go swimming, so he changed back into his casual attire. Suddenly he started to feel odd, was he developing an illness? Nagito looked towards the beach where everybody was having fun. "I don't want them to worry". He said as he wandered off, most likely heading back to his cottage.

Mahiru and Hiyoko were giggling while they rearrange the sand on TeruTeru's stomach, it appears that they took the sand and mashed it together to create a sandcastle, a really big and possibly heavy castle. "Ok TeruTeru, you can open your eyes now".

Once his eyes opened, TeruTeru had immediately realized something. He was played. The two girls couldn't help but burst out laughing as their plan turned out to be a massive success. TeruTeru tried to get up, but he couldn't because there was too much sand on him, he felt like he was buried.

While laughing, Mahiru turned her head towards Hajime, who seems to be training with Akane. It came as a surprise to her, since she's never seen this happen before. Little did she know, Akane was used to this kind of training and Hajime was strong enough to be her sparring partner. It was tough to see exactly what was going on since Hajime and Akane were moving extremely fast, but Mahiru did see a lot of punches being thrown.

Mahiru was about to go to them once she saw Akane perform a leg sweep which made Hajime fall to the ground, until she saw him laughing. "You know, I'm starting to get tired of knocking you down over and over again". Akane seems to be laughing as well, at this point Mahiru realized that they were just having fun like everyone else. Until Hajime performed the same leg sweep Akane used in order to knock off her feet also. Now both of them were lying in the sand, laughing even more as they got up.

"You let your guard down, I don't think Nekomaru would approve of that".

"HAHA! Yeah, you're right!" all Mahiru could do was smile, it seems she finally realized that those two really do love each other.

"Wow, I see it now. But… why was I not convinced before? Was I because I thought Hajime was unreliable? Or… was it jealously? No, it can't be". She seemed to be confused over the whole ordeal, but it looked like she finally came to a conclusion. "I guess I was worried for the both of them, nothing more… nothing less. Haha… I guess Hajime is reliable after all".  
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Nagito was struggling to get back to his cottage, the illness he started to develop ended up being so bad, he struggled to stand on his feet. He stopped when he realized he made it to the main doors of the control room he felt so weak, he decided to rest inside. "What's… going… on? Uh no… is it… that syringe?" That was all he said before he passed out. Lying on the floor of the control room while Nekomaru, Gundham and the Imposter were still in their comatose state. Whatever's making Nagito sick, would it end up getting sick too?

Hours have passed since Nagito arrived at the control room and he showed no signs of waking up. It was 10pm so everyone else must have gone to bed. So, no one would be coming until morning. He was all alone, that's when the fingers on his right hand started twitching, then a smile formed on his face. And finally, his eyes shot open, but something was definitely wrong. "HAHAHAHA! This feeling… it's WONDERFUL!" His eyes looked like how they looked during his time in the virtual world, but something was different. There was hardly any Hope in his eyes, they were mostly filled with… Despair. "Gundham Tanaka, Nekomaru Nidai, let me help you. If I can help you, then I can help him too". He said as he stared at the pod containing the Imposter. The syringe Nagito was injected with must of brought out the Despair he felt during the killing game, it's possible the syringe Mikan used on herself could cure Nagito's Despair as it did for her. But he didn't show any symptoms after Mikan's attack, so on one was suspicious at all. "So, you'll by my Guinea pigs, I'll do exactly what Izuru did to wake the others! After all, … I've been watching him. I watched him wake up Mikan and TeruTeru and with luck on my side you'll be able to continue your fun… for her".  
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The next morning, Hajime was on his way to the control room. Hoping to wake up more of his friends. "I hope she likes it, nah… she'll definitely like it". it appears that Hajime did something special for someone, a girl most likely, but who? Chances are it's for Akane, but it could be for Hiyoko, Ibuki, Peko, Mahiru, Sonia or Mikan. Hajime woke up earlier then usual, so he had plenty of time to do whatever he did. He eventually made it to the main door of the control room, but before entering, he heard a voice coming from inside. "Nagito?" Hajime knew right away whose voice it belonged to. He couldn't help but feel nervous as he opened the door, he feared the worst.

As Hajime entered the control room, he immediately saw Nagito by the main computer that controlled everything from the pods to the Neo World program. Nagito heard the door open, so he around and saw Hajime standing there, he did nothing but smile. "Izuru… glad you finally made it".

Hajime could see the Despair in Nagito's eyes. "Don't tell me… whatever Mikan injected into you the other day… it's finally taken effect?"

"Yep, it sure did. And it feels AMAZING HAHAHAHAHA!" Before the two boys could do anything else, a third boy joined the party.

"Hajime? what's going on?" Kazuichi arrived at just the right time.

"Kazuichi's here too! How wonderful, it's good to see you". Nagito still had that crazy smile on his face. "Now you guys can finally witness what I've done! It's nice to help your friends out every once in a while".

"What did you do!?"

"Hajime… look!"

Kazuichi was pointing at the pods, Hajime turned his attention to them and immediately noticed something was missing. Or in this case… someone.

"G-Gundham… he's gone!"

"It's not just him!" Kazuichi pointed at another pod, Gundham wasn't the only one missing.

"Oh no… Nekomaru too!?"

"They were so confused, until I injected them with this". Nagito said as he pulled a syringe out of his jacket pocket. It was a different colour from the one Mikan used on Nagito. "It seems to have a different effect from the one used on me, that one took a while. This one sped up the process. I'm glad I snuck into Mikan's cottage last night to get this. I'm also glad I was quiet enough to avoid waking her".

"Kazuichi… go find everybody and bring them here, tell them what's going on".

"Okay!" Kazuichi ran outside and headed for the cottages, leaving Nagito and Hajime alone.

"Are you wondering why the Imposter is still asleep? It's because I wasn't sure if waking up Nekomaru and Gundham would end up being a success, so the Imposter was like… a backup plan". That explanation was followed by laughter, but that turned out to be Nagito's undoing. While he was laughing, Hajime sprinted forward and tackled Nagito to the ground, he then turned Nagito over so he would be lying on his stomach, holding him down until the others arrived. But Nagito was still laughing,, even though he also dropped the syringe he was carrying in his hand.

"Where are they!?"

"Who knows… they could be anywhere". He said as he slowly reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a second syringe. It was the same colour of the one that was injected into Nagito, turns out he took more than one syringe from Mikan's cottage, he took two. Before Hajime could react, Nagito shoved the syringe into Hajime's leg. He was able to reach even while being pinned down. Who knew someone with one arm could be so troubling. "You deserve to feel this way too! Join us Izuru! Let us all feel Despair! HAHAHA-"

He couldn't take it anymore; he was so annoyed and outraged he couldn't help but… knock him out. "Everyone… please get here safe".  
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Around the same time Hajime headed towards the control room, Akane woke up in her cottage. Waking up at this time was normal for her since she tends to spend the day training. After a quick shower, Akane left her cottage to head for the restaurant in order to have breakfast. But she didn't expect to see 'her' up this early. "Mahiru?"

"Oh… morning Akane".

"Why are you up so early? Usually it's just me".

"I figured I'd wake up and make breakfast for everyone". She really was a caring person, Akane couldn't help but smile.

They both made their way into the Hotel lobby, eventually they made it to the bottom of the stairs heading into the restaurant. But they both stopped when they heard a noise coming from upstairs.

"What was that? Is someone else up there?"

"I'll go check, stay here". Akane slowly went up the stairs to check what that sound was, from where she was standing, Akane was able to see the feet of the tables in the restaurant. If someone were here, she would of definitely see their feet, unless they were in the kitchen.

"I guess no one's here, wait *sniff* What's that smell?" Akane couldn't help but go into the restaurant, what could it be? "WHOA! LOOK AT ALL THE FOOD!"

"Wow, did someone make all this? TeruTeru maybe?" Mahiru couldn't help but wonder who cooked all that food.

"WHO CARES! LET'S EAT!" Akane didn't seem to care though, it's food, A LOT of food. She was very happy, five tables filled with different types of food. That's one hell of a breakfast.

"Hey, there's a note". Mahiru picked it up and searched for a name, sadly she couldn't tell who the creator of this breakfast was. "I guess we should read it".

Akane was occupied with eating the food, not caring about the letter at all. Until Mahiru started to read it out loud. The first sentence she read immediately caught Akane's attention.

"Supporting their athletes is a manager's duty". Akane stopped eating and listened to Mahiru read the rest of the note. She remembered those words, Nekomaru said that after he saved her from being killed by Monokuma. "Nekomaru said it best… during the killing game, there were many things that didn't make sense. I mean at one-point Nekomaru became a robot and there were things that scared us. But after everything that's been thrown at you, you didn't let it stop you. You kept fighting; you also became very smart… I've always been jealous of how cheerful you are; you really are a wonderful person. You took care of your siblings by yourself for so long, from now on, I'll do my best to take care of you".

Mahiru was touched by what she just read, though she still had no clue who wrote it, or who it was made for. "Akane… do you know who-" She turned to Akane to see her crying; she had no idea why she was crying. Maybe she was touched by it as well. "Akane! Are you okay? Wait… the person who wrote this note and made all this food was-"

Akane was happy… crying tears of joy. She's never felt this happy before. No matter how hard she tried, Akane couldn't stop crying. Mahiru couldn't help but comfort her. "He really has changed for the better".

The two girls just sat there, Mahiru was impressed and Akane was happy. Not a bad way to start the day. but then something appeared behind them. Whatever it was, it was big. Akane heard noise coming from behind her, so she turned around, Mahiru did the same and they were both shocked to see what it was.  
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Everyone was in the control room, wondering why they were called here. "What's going on? Did something happen?" Fuyuhiko was the first one to speak up, he couldn't help but notice the worried expression on Hajime's face.

"Nekomaru and Gundham are missing, Nagito woke them up and injected them with one of Mikan's syringes. They're extremely dangerous". Hajime was up front, no beating around the bush.

"Gundham's awake? Sonia had to be sure.

"Mikan… you recently made a vaccine for that Despair syringe you used on Nagito, right? You used it on yourself on the beach. Can you inject that into Nagito?"

"Y-Yes… I made it t-to cure Nagito, b-but I used it on myself first. To test it. it's my fault he went crazy in the first place".

Mikan kneeled down and pulled a syringe with liquid the same colour as the one she used on herself. She then grabbed Nagito's arm and injected him with it. a few seconds later, Nagito's eyes shot open and struggled to get up. "What happened? Don't tell me I… did something wrong". He also had a worried expression on his face.

"Now's not the time to explain, we need to find Nekomaru and Gundham!" TeruTeru raised his voice so everyone could hear.

"Wait… MAHIRU'S NOT HERE!" Hiyoko was horrified to find out Mahiru wasn't with everyone.

"What?" Hajime's worried expression turned into the same face Hiyoko was making.

"AKANE'S NOT HERE, EITHER!" Ibuki raised her voice too.

"As much as I hate the idea, we'll have to spit up so we can cover more ground. Mikan and TeruTeru, you two check the warehouse. While you're there, get some rope and anything else that might be useful. Kazuichi, you stay here and keep watching over the Imposter. Fuyuhiko and Peko, you two search the airfield. Ibuki and Hiyoko, check the beach and the marina. Sonia, check the cottages. Nagito and I will check the hotel lobby and restaurant".

"Mahiru and Akane might be in danger, so we need to hurry." Sonia said as she and everyone else ran out of the building, except Kazuichi.

There's a reason why Hajime wanted to go to the hotel, he knew Akane had to be there. If not, it's a good place to start looking. Hopefully Mahiru will be there too. All he could do… was hope nothing bad would happen.


	32. DRASTIC MEASURES

"Hey… please be careful". Sonia grabbed Hajime's arm before he and Nagito could run off towards the hotel, the three of them made their way to the hotel grounds since the hotel and cottages were close to each other. Peko, Fuyuhiko, Mikan and TeruTeru went to the airfield together as well since the warehouse was there too. Ibuki and Hiyoko decided to check the beach first, they thought it would be quicker than the marina, so they wanted to get it out of the way.

"If you can… please don't hurt Gundham and don't get yourself killed, we'd all be very sad. Especially Akane. If you find them… please be careful".

"Don't worry Sonia, I'll be fine".

"You too Nagito, be careful".

"You're sweet to worry, but it's okay. We'll be careful". There was reassurance in his voice, Mikan's antidote must be working perfectly. After those words were said, Hajime and Nagito left Sonia by the cottages.

They headed into the lobby and saw that nobody was there, that just left the restaurant. Hajime and Nagito headed up the stairs and saw that the restaurant was a complete mess. Many tables were broken in half, cutlery was spread across the floor and some knives looked up they were thrown into the wall, even the windows were cracked. The two boys feared the worst until they saw Akane on the floor, knocked out and covered in bruises. It looked like she took one hell of a beating. Mahiru was nowhere to be seen.

"AKANE!" Hajime couldn't help but be worried, he ran straight to her to see if she was breathing, thankfully she was. Nagito looked around and found Mahiru in the kitchen, all curled up in the corner.

"Mahiru, what happened? Are you okay?" instead of saying anything, Mahiru pointed to something behind him. When he turned around, Nekomaru was standing there. Before Nagito could react, Nekomaru hit him with a backhand hard enough to make him go flying across the room, slamming into the wall. Knocking him out instantly.

"NAGITO!" Hajime was shocked at what he just witnessed, Nekomaru showed up out of nowhere, without anyone noticing. He must have been hiding somewhere. Hajime was all alone, with a Despair filled Nekomaru. Mahiru is so scared that she couldn't move and Nagito and Akane were out of commission. It's one on one, Hajime had to take on Nekomaru until someone else could arrive. He knew he was going to get hurt, but he refused to run, he wasn't training all this time with Akane for nothing.  
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The warehouse was massive, so finding specifics things are bound to be difficult. Luckily, this wasn't their first time exploring the building, so they knew where everything they needed would be located. Rope was the only thing TeruTeru was looking for, Mikan thought it would be a good idea to make more of the antidote so she can use it on Nekomaru and Gundham when they're found. Five minutes later, TeruTeru found the rope, but that's not all he found. He saw a briefcase made out of duralumin, somehow it looked familiar to him. When he opened it, he was two jars. One was filled with a green liquid and the other was filled with a pink liquid. He immediately remembered what the pink jar did back at Hope's Peak Academy, it was an aphrodisiac. Then he turned his attention to the green jar, a smile formed on his face.

"This might be useful; I better finish up here and get this rope to Hajime. I better tell Mikan and then I'll head to the hotel". He said as he put the jar in his uniform as well as throwing the rope over his shoulder. "Mikan! When you're done, go to the hotel and find Hajime!"

"Okay, I guess I'll meet you there".  
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Kazuichi barricaded the door to make sure nobody could get in or out, afraid of Gundham or Nekomaru possibly coming back to the control room. Hopefully. It never comes to that. Suddenly, a box attached to the wall on the opposite side of the pods caught his attention. "What is that?"

He noticed a handle and pulled it out of curiosity, opening the box and revealing a switch and a small remote. Kazuichi hesitated at first but couldn't help but pull the switch. The wall next to the box started to split in half and open up until it came to a complete stop, revealing the outside. Kazuichi didn't know what to think, was this here the whole time? That would mean they broke down the door after Nagito's escape and it wasn't necessary. He felt like am idiot. He was just about to slap himself when he heard a squeaking noise, coming from one of the pods. Gundham's pod to be specific.

"Holy shit, Gundham's hamsters". All four of them were there. San-D, Jum-P, Maga-Z and Cham-P. he had no idea what to do, until an idea crossed his mind. "Maybe you guys could help Gundham snap out of it, I better take you guys to Miss Sonia, Gundham should listen to her. Before I go, I should take that remote with me. It must be another way to open and close that door." He made sure to test the remote while he was on his way to the cottages, thankfully it worked. The giant door that almost resembled a hangar closed and he was ready to leave. The cottages were pretty close so getting to Sonia shouldn't be a problem unless he ran into Gundham or Nekomaru. If that were to happen, then Kazuichi would be screwed. It's not like he could fight, he's not Akane, Hajime or Nekomaru. Even without a sword, Peko can still defend herself and Fuyuhiko at the same time, he just had to hope that he could get to Sonia before Gundham or Nekomaru could.  
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Nekomaru wasn't pulling his punches, he was trying to severely hurt Hajime. luckily for him, Nekomaru hadn't been able to land a single punch. But he can't get cocky, one mistake and he'll be in big trouble. Fighting a man who's hellbent on killing you… you can't afford to make a mistake. A lot of blocking and evading, but he didn't see an opening. He had no choice, he had to throw a punch eventually, might as well do it now. It landed and was strong enough to push Nekomaru a few steps back, Hajime was in control now. Punch after punch, Nekomaru couldn't evade or block them. Until Hajime was able to knock Nekomaru to the floor.

"… Hajime?" Akane seemed to be awake, but barely able to move. Her voice was so soft, but Hajime was still able to hear her. The moment he did, he turned his attention to her. Not the smartest thing to do while in the middle of a fight, but he was concerned. But he turned back towards Nekomaru pretty quickly so he wouldn't get jumped from behind.

Before Hajime could make a move, he felt a slightly dizziness hit him out of nowhere. He felt like he was about to pass out, the syringe Nagito used on him earlier is already taking effect. He could barely stand up straight. Akane saw how he was acting and didn't know what was going on. She used a nearby table in order to get back on her feet. But she fell to her knees cause of how much pain she was in. her expression went from annoyed to terrified once she saw someone standing behind Hajime.

Hajime felt something go around his neck but wasn't fast enough to react when someone started to pull on the fabric around his neck. That fabric was a scarf and he immediately recognised it, not only does Hajime have to deal with Nekomaru and the effects of the syringe that was injected into him earlier, but now he has to deal with Gundham too. Nekomaru was getting up and he was carrying something in his right hand. A kitchen knife, if things weren't bad before, they're terrible now. He can feel himself getting weaker and weaker, Hajime tried to escape but Gundham was pulling the scarf, trying to choke him. He couldn't do anything except pull the scarf in order to loosen the grip around his neck. He almost succeeded, until he felt a massive amount of pain coming from his stomach. He looked down and saw a knife protruding out of his body. Nekomaru stabbed him while he was distracted.

"HAJIME!" Akane felt tears running down her face, she needed to do something, now. But she could hardly get up.

Nekomaru pulled the knife out of Hajime and stabbed him again in the same place, causing him to bleed A LOT. But the pain wasn't as bad as before because he used one hand to grab the knife as it was being stabbed into him, trying to lesson the impact. Meanwhile, his other hand was pulling on the scarf in order to prevent passing out by strangulation. Hajime kicked Nekomaru in the gut in order to push him back, it gave him enough time to pull the knife out and cut through the scarf. He was free. Once he caught his breath and threw the knife across the room, he turned around and saw that Gundham disappeared. Once Hajime turned his attention back to Nekomaru, he got punched right in his stab wound, causing him to start coughing up blood. Nekomaru then held him by his tie and punched him right in the face. He let go and just watched Hajime fall to the ground.

It looked like Nekomaru was about to continue the beat down, until he heard Akane's voice. "HEY… LEAVE HIM ALONE!" That definitely caught his attention. But something else caught his attention.

"Akane!... catch!" TeruTeru was at the top of the stairs, signalling to Akane. She saw him throw something and even though she was hardly able to stand, she was able to catch it, it was a jar filled with a green liquid and Akane immediately realized what it was. She smiled as she opened it and chugged it like her life depended on it, technically it did. Akane felt the effects right away and in no time flat, she started to grow intense muscles that matched Nekomaru. Suddenly all the pain she felt before was just gone, she felt nothing but complete power.

"This is it… it's going to end here… I'm FINALLY going to beat you!"  
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"Miss Sonia! I need to show you something!" Kazuichi had just arrived at the cottages, hoping to find Sonia. If anyone would know what to do with Gundham's hamsters, it would have to be Sonia.

"Kazuichi? Aren't you supposed to be in the control room?" She seemed already annoyed by him just being there, but if it's something important then she had no choice but to hear him out.

"Look".

"A-Are those… Gundham's hamsters!?"

"Yeah. They were sleeping in Gundham's pod alongside him, I figured he might listen to you if he sees you with his… Four Dark Devas of Destruction, jeez… that's annoying to say".

"…Thank you Kazuichi, we might be able to help Gundham now".

Kazuichi felt really good after making Sonia smile, but that was cut short when he saw the lobby doors open. A familiar face walked through and locked eyes with the two of them, it was Gundham. His scarf was much shorter than it usually was, but that was thanks to Hajime. apparently he jumped over the railing to get down the stairs faster, he must have been hiding in the lobby after his scarf was basically cut in half. He hid so well that TeruTeru didn't see him while making his way up the stairs, only leaving his hiding spot when TeruTeru was in the restaurant. Sonia slowly approached him with the Four Dark Devas of Destruction in hand, he definitely noticed and started to stare at her hands.

"Gundham… please stop this… we're here to help you, please… let me help you". Gundham's eyes were full of Despair and Kazuichi couldn't help but keep his distance, Sonia was the exact opposite. She wanted to help him, even if it meant putting herself in danger.

Everything was going well, until the lobby doors opened once again. This time two people left the building. TeruTeru and Mahiru, he was helping her out of the kitchen while Akane was keeping Nekomaru busy. Going across the room wasn't possible, so he couldn't help Nagito or Hajime. Gundham turned around and stared daggers at TeruTeru. Before Gundham could do anything, Peko and Fuyuhiko tackled him out of nowhere, surprising everyone there. They pinned him down while Mikan leaned down and injected a syringe into Gundham's arm. A few seconds later, Gundham passed out. He was no longer a threat.

"Where'd you guys come from?"

"While we were searching the airfield, we ran into Mikan. She was carrying a bunch of needles and said they would help get Nekomaru and Gundham under control, so the three of s came here hoping to find one or the other. Glad we got here before he could do anything".

"Mahiru… are you okay? W-What happened?" Mikan ran to her side, helping TeruTeru hold her up.

"Akane needs help… Nagito's been knocked out, Hajime's badly hurt… please help her. She's on her own. If we don't help… Nekomaru will kill her. TeruTeru and I will take Gundham to his cottage so he can rest. The rest of you go and help Akane".  
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Nothing but anger can be heard in Akane's voice as she continuously threw punches at Nekomaru. He dodged a lot of those punches, but she was able to land most of them. For every two punches Nekomaru lands, Akane lands five in retaliation. But something felt different as she felt that either she has gotten stronger or he has gotten weaker. It seems all that training paid off, he was still a challenge but if this was back in the virtual world, Nekomaru would have won by now, since Akane wasn't as strong as she is now.

Every punch she landed got harder and harder, she was actually trying to hurt him. This went on for awhile until she decided to attack his legs, which caused him to fall to his knees. Akane took advantage of the situation and kneed him in his chin, making him fall back onto the ground. She then reached down and grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling nothing but his upper body off the floor. Without a word, she clenched her fist and started punching Nekomaru with all her might. The look in her eyes, it's almost as if… she wanted to kill him. Anger and frustration, that's all she felt. When she stopped the assault, Nekomaru was unconscious but for Akane in her state of mind… it wasn't enough.

Akane stood up and went over to the knife and returned to the unconscious Team Manager, holding the knife in both hands as she thought about what the right thing to do was. Unfortunately, she was too angry to think. Her eyes resembled Nagito's from the first trial. She took the knife, closed her eyes and plunged the knife into Nekomaru's chest. At least that's what she thought.

At this point in time, the green liquid Akane drank earlier had run it's course and she didn't have muscles like Nekomaru anymore, so not much strength went into the stabbing. When Akane heard a grunting noise that didn't match Nekomaru's tone, she opened her eyes, only to be horrified with what she saw. It was Hajime, he grabbed the blade before it could touch a hair on Nekomaru's body. It looks like he saw the whole thing go down and tried to drag himself over to her the moment he saw her with the knife in her hands. His left hand was holding his stomach as it continued to bleed while his right hand was holding the blade of the knife, causing his hand to bleed since it cut him the moment he grabbed it.

"W-WHAT ARE YOU!?"

"It's okay… *cough*… you did it, you… won". After saying that, Hajime collapsed.

"H-HAJIME!?... HAJIME!" Akane threw the knife away and held him in her arms. "PLEASE… WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"

Fuyuhiko, Peko, Sonia, Mikan and Kazuichi made it to the restaurant, they couldn't believe what they saw. Sonia was shocked and started to cry, Peko felt guilty that she couldn't get here sooner, Mikan also started to cry, Fuyuhiko was trying to fight off the tears and Kazuichi couldn't help but shiver. They couldn't do anything, they felt useless.

"HAAJJIIMMEE!"


	33. REBIRTH

An hour has passed since the incident. In the restaurant, pretty much everything was cleaned at this point. Hajime was lying in his bed, with bandages covering his stomach, same goes for his right hand. Everybody was at the restaurant except for two people, Akane and Mikan. They were in Hajime's cottage, focusing on helping him recover. "That's w-weird".

"What's weird?"

"These stab wounds, they w-weren't deep enough to kill him. It's like when Fuyuhiko got injured d-during Peko's execution, he's hurt but he'll recover. I think w-we should let him rest".

"Okay, just give me a minute". Alone time, she wanted to be left alone with him, just for a little bit. Akane just stared at him, tears running down her face, but she was smiling too. "You're going to be okay". She said as she leaned over Hajime, lightly kissing him on the lips. After that. She left, relieved knowing that he'll be alright… eventually.  
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"Aww… I can't believe we missed all the action". Ibuki was frustrated that she and Hiyoko weren't around when the 'exciting' stuff happened. They took a lot longer searching the beach and marina then they thought. Ibuki couldn't help but explore the warehouse while they were at the marina, she got distracted with all the instruments. Hiyoko wasn't any better, the sweets got her attention. By the time they went to the hotel grounds, Hajime and Nagito were being taken to their cottages to recover and Nekomaru was tied up in the restaurant.

"It's for the best, you wouldn't want to be in the middle of all that". Mahiru got chills just remembering what went down, especially with Nekomaru laying on the floor, tied up and unconscious. Gundham had recovered and joined the group at the restaurant, he was happy to have his hamsters back, Sonia was happy to have him back.

"I apologise for any problems I may have caused. And to you… my Four Dark Devas of Destruction. If Hajime Hinata really was able to bring us back, then he must be an extraordinary singularity". Talking nonsense, the others actually missed that.

"Hey Akane… Mikan, is Hajime okay?" Kazuichi was the first to ask.

"He'll be okay, he should be one hundred percent in a few days… I hope".

"Ugh… why am I tied up? Wait… WHAT HAPPENED TO MY ROBOT BODY!?" Looks like Nekomaru finally woke up, as loud as ever.

"Hey pig barf… he better not go crazy again, or else you're going to get it".

"I'm sorry… h-he should be fine. I u-used a vaccine on him earlier, so he should be fine". So, the Breeder and Team Manager has recovered from Despair, only one remains. The Ultimate Imposter, but they can't wake him until Hajime is better.

"Mahiru? Peko? TeruTeru? Ibuki and Mikan? What!? How!?" curious and confused, it'd be weird if he weren't.

"Hey old man…"

"Akane… I'm glad to see your… wait, you're covered in bruises".

"You're the one who gave them to her. Nagito and Hajime got the worse of it". Fuyuhiko was blunt, he could've tried to word it differently.

"OH MY GOD! I'M SO SORRY!" He said as he bowed down with the rope still tied around his whole body. He felt so ashamed. "I hope you can forgive me one day; I'll do whatever I can to make it up to you… all of you".

"The same goes for me too, I owe him my life and theirs". He smiled as he held his Four Dark Devas of Destruction in his hands, everyone smiled as Akane went behind Nekomaru in order to untie him.

"Whatever comes next, I hope we'll be ready for it". Mahiru voiced her concerns.

"We will… I'll make sure of it. first, Sonia, Fuyuhiko, Kazuichi and I will tell you EVERYTHING you missed during the killing game. Then, you're all coming with me, Nekomaru and I are going to teach you how to defend yourself in a fight".  
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White. That's all he saw. He remembers how he got here. Just not why. He should be in the restaurant, that's the last thing be remembered, that and Akane holding him while lost consciousness. Standing in a place where all he saw was white, maybe a dream? Or a coma? He felt a familiar presence, someone was there with him. He turned around to see the last person he ever wanted to see again.

"It's so good to see you again… Izuru". The Ultimate Despair, Junko Enoshima. He started trembling just looking at her, he couldn't help it. she put him through a lot of pain. And there she was, standing right in front of him. Hajime started to get mad and felt like attacking her, until he heard another voice coming from behind him.

"Hajime". He flinched after hearing her voice, he had to turn around to make sure it was who he thought it was and he was right. The Ultimate Gamer, Chiaki Nanami. He was very happy to see her again, until a bunch of spikes flew out of the floor and walls, impaling her body. All the colour left his face, he felt like screaming, but nothing came out. Chiaki was now on the floor, bleeding out. The white surroundings changed into a room he seems to remember, a class trial room.

"You did this, she's dead because of you". He turned around and looked Junko dead in the eyes.

"Feisty one aren't you. I miss that old expression you used to make; you know what I mean? The look that says, 'nothing matters, it's all boring'. Seeing that for the first time back when I first met you was breath taking, like love at first sight. Oh well… since I'm dead it doesn't matter anymore, what does matter now is that you're about to feel nothing but Despair. After that happens, all of your friends are going to be in HUGE trouble. BTW, I may have put her through all that pain, but you're the one who let her die".

"What?" He looked terrified after hearing that, so terrified that it was enough to make him fall to his knees.

"You could've saved her, you know? Izuru Kamakura could do anything, even save someone who's on the brink of death, so he… well you could've saved her. So why didn't you? Maybe because you didn't care about her, maybe she died because you were selfish? You didn't see her as a friend, but a nuisance. You becoming a boy with talent led to her death, you killed Chiaki Nanami". She said all of that while bending down, looking him right in the eyes.

Hajime wanted to punch her, no one would blame him if he did, but his arms wouldn't move. Junko took this opportunity to place her hands on his face, forcing him to stay still. She was so close their noses were almost touching, what did she have in mind?

"That liquid Nagito injected into you is almost going to consume you and then our fun can begin, so consider this a going away present. Goodbye Hajime Hinata". Junko leaned forward, attempting to plant a kiss on the Despair filled boy. Before her lips could touch his, she was pulled away by someone. Hajime was shocked to see him standing in front of him, but he wasn't the only one. "IZURU! OMG IT'S REALLY YOU! I'M SO HAP- OWW MY HAIR!" He was holding her by her hair, up in the air with one hand, either he was VERY strong, or Junko was light.

"Are you really going to let her turn us into Despair? I thought you were stronger than this". He was shocked to hear this come from his alternate self, for some reason he felt ashamed.

"What can I do?"

"Everything. If it's considered a talent, you can do it. all talents known to mankind are yours to do with as you please. Just remember this, you're not invincible, you CAN die". Hajime's surroundings changed again, he found himself walking on the beach of the first island of Jabberwock island. He looked around and noticed that Chiaki's body and Junko had vanished, it was just him and Izuru. They were staring at each other, it's weird to see yourself like this… but Hajime stayed silent, hoping that Izuru had something else to say.

"You're not at one hundred percent right now, in fact you never were".

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't accepted that I'm apart of you, forget the past and start looking towards the Future. You can do great things, believe in yourself. Like she told you". He pointed to someone standing behind Hajime, it was Chiaki. And standing behind her was EVERYONE he cared about, but five of them stood out to him. Kazuichi Soda, Ultimate Mechanic and goofy best friend, Sonia Nevermind, Ultimate Princess and the sweetest girl he's ever met, Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu, Ultimate Yakuza and someone he considered a brother, Nagito Komaeda, Ultimate Lucky Student and most positive he's ever encountered… And Akane Owari, Ultimate Gymnast… someone he wants to spend his life with. He started to cry as Chiaki walked up to him.

"It's okay to feel afraid… just remember that we'll be right by your side". She said as she held his hand, making him cry even more. Hajime wiped his eyes as he turned around to face Izuru.

"Thank you… I can't guarantee I'll do a good job, but I'll try". Hajime extended his hand.

"I look forward to what you do next… all of you". Izuru shook his hand, then everything went white again. But he wasn't afraid, he was happy. Loneliness… a feeling he'll never feel again. This is the Rebirth of Hajime Hinata/Izuru Kamakura… Ultimate Hope and Despair.  
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Hours have passed, it was getting dark, everyone was exhausted, but in the end… it was all worth it. some people like TeruTeru and Hiyoko tried and failed miserably, people like Mahiru and Sonia showed promise, then there were the ones who did unbelievably well. Peko, Gundham and Fuyuhiko did better then everyone would've expected. Nekomaru was proud of them all for giving it a try, but he was most proud of Akane. It seems the student has become the master. Akane was already in her cottage, lying in bed looking up at the ceiling. Until she reached into her shirt pocket and pulled out something Sonia gave her during her training, she couldn't help but blush as looked at it.

"How do I bring it up?... I'll wait until he gets better". It seems she has something to do, but she'll have to wait… for him.


	34. ARRIVAL

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUTHOR'S NOTE: only one small part of this story appears in the FUTURE ARC, you can find that out for yourself.

Hajime's eyes shot open; a smile formed on his face when he realized it was all a dream. But the emotions he felt were real as he noticed he was still crying. He looked down at his stomach, surprised he couldn't feel any pain. His shirt had been removed in order to apply the bandages. He got out of bed and headed for the bathroom, he looked into the mirror as he removed the bandages around his stomach. There he saw the scar the knife left, his hand however didn't have a scar, it got cut… not stabbed. After changing into clean clothes, Hajime left his cottage. Realizing it's now night-time. He turned to face Nagito's cottage, slowly opening his door hoping it doesn't make too much noise. He saw Nagito lying in his bed, still unconscious from what happened in the restaurant. That wasn't going to stop what Hajime had in mind. He walked over to Nagito and picked him up, carrying him out of his cottage, heading straight for the control room.

After arriving, Hajime placed Nagito in one of the pods. No one would expect him to put Nagito back into the comatose state, but he had a plan. Hajime thought about how Nagito woke up after the events of the Neo World program, he woke up on his own.. through luck. Not like everyone else, it made Hajime believe that Nagito wasn't lucky at all… he was unlucky. He didn't go through what everyone else went through, ever since he awoke. Nagito wasn't right in the head, he hid it from everyone, even Hajime. so, he wanted to make this right… he wanted to help Nagito… in more ways than one.

Hajime went into the storage room and grabbed everything he thought was useful, he was planning to make a bionic arm for Nagito… but that's not all wanted to do.  
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It was late… one in the morning at the latest, but all Hajime's effort was worth it. the arm was complete, he took off it's ring finger… revealing three small buttons. They change the appearance of the entire arm. The red button makes it look like Junko's arm… what he had before it came off, the green button turns it into his original arm… matching his right and the blue button reveals the bionic arm, in case he wanted to know the truth. He took a second to look over what he had made, suddenly he realized exactly HOW he made it.

"Mechanic, Engineer and Inventor. I can't believe it". hajime turned around and looked at the pods and computers. "Hacker, Programmer and Intellectual. I've been using different talents all along. I just didn't realize it. Athlete, Fighter and Martial Artist, that explains how I've been able to train with Akane". Being able to pass as another person, Photography, Dancing, Music, Medical Knowledge, Animal Care, Swordsmanship, Motivating others, Mechanics, Royal Stature, Gaming, Yakuza Toughness, Gymnastics and Luck. Among MANY other talents now at his disposal.

He suddenly felt a strange feeling, like something was about to happen. He closed his eyes and started to see something. "Ships? Heading to Jabberwock Island? HOW AM I SEEING THIS!?" then it hit him, Clairvoyance… or in other words, seeing the future. "I always did consider Fortune Tellers talented, incredible. Those ships will be here very soon, I better hurry". He said as he started to attach the bionic arm to Nagito's stump. In order for it to work… Hajime had to reopen Nagito's wound, thankfully Nagito wasn't awake to feel the pain. Performing surgery, something he never thought he'd have to do.

Fifteen minutes later, the arm has become apart of Nagito. Hajime pressed the red button and the arm looked exactly like Junko's arm, after that… he reinstalled the finger and closed the pod. "I'll wake Nagito after I deal with those ships, you on the other hand… could be very helpful".  
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Bright lights, it's always the first thing they see. "What the hell? Why is that so damn bright?" And the first thing they complain about. "H-Hajime? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's good to see you… Ultimate Imposter". The Imposter's face said it all, he was shocked. Shocked that Hajime knew his talent, secret and burden.

"B-But how did you-"

"I'll explain later, right now I need you to give the others a warning. The Future Foundation are coming, tell them to meet me at the marina". The ships would be here soon, he had no time to explain. They both left the control room and headed in different directions. The Imposter ran towards the cottages while Hajime headed towards the marina. Makoto and the others promised no one would find out about them and where they are, but with this many ships coming, something was definitely wrong… he believed they were in for a fight.  
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The Imposter made it to the cottages and started banging on everyone's doors. It was so early in the morning; everyone had a right to be annoyed with whoever woke them up. Until they opened their doors and saw the one responsible.

"MR. HAM HANDS!" Hiyoko was the first one to speak up, calling him the nickname she gave him during the killing game. He smiled after hearing that; he couldn't help it.

"Wait, if you're awake… then that means-" Fuyuhiko was the first one to catch on, realizing there was only one way the Imposter could wake up.

"Hajime's awake!?" Mikan was very surprised to hear he's back on his feet, even though he shouldn't be.

"Follow me, to the marina. He said the… Future Foundation is here". Most of them were confused, but to those who knew what he was talking about, they couldn't help but be shocked.

"WHAT!? Quick, to the marina!" Sonia said as everyone quickly ran towards the marina, all of them were prepared to defend their home. Even if it meant… fighting the Future Foundation.  
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There he was, standing on the dock… seeing the Future Foundation ships make their way to the island. Hajime closed his eyes as he realized how many there were and how he'll be able to take them on all by himself. If he were just an ordinary guy, then he wouldn't stand a chance, but he wasn't ordinary. He could do anything… even take on an army singlehandedly, at least until backup arrives. He can see how this all will play out, only one-word came to mind. "Boring". Hajime opened his eyes, a smile formed on his face. "Oh well, might as well try and make this interesting". He said as he jumped into the water, swimming towards the ships before they could make it to land. He was extremely fast; it would make Olympic swimmers look like amateurs. 'Don't let your guard down, don't underestimate them or yourself and don't kill anyone, we'll be fine'. Hajime boarded the ship at the very back of the fleet. 'Time to get to work'.  
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Akane was the first one to make it to the marina, Nekomaru was second. The others arrived and were shocked at what they saw, there were a lot of ships out there… but something wasn't right. Most of those ship weren't moving, and they were on fire. The group didn't know what to think, until they saw something jump from one ship to another.

"It's Hajime!" Sonia pointed at where they saw him jump, wishing they were over there as they could help him… then again, Hajime didn't look like he needed help.

Before anyone could come up with a plan, Akane and Nekomaru jumped into the water and swam to the ships. Since they were closer than earlier, the swim wouldn't take long. Luckily for the others, there was a ship closing in, all they had to do was wait for them to make it to the docks and then they can board and take the ship for themselves.

"STAY BACK! OR I'LL SHOOT!" A soldier was pointing a gun at Hajime, stopping him in his tracks, if he moved… he'd be shot. He kept shaking as he held the gun, being face to face with the guy who took out half the fleet on his own, he couldn't help but shake. Just when he was about to pull the trigger, Akane appeared behind him and knocked him out.

"You are amazing".

"Says the guy who took down over twenty ships by himself, how many are left?"

"Between ten and twenty. But I'm sure we can handle it". Before they could move on, Nekomaru jumped onboard to greet them.

"Make that ten to fifteen!" He laughed as he explained that he already stopped five of the ships. All the unconscious Future Foundation members were tied up and thrown into lifeboats, they were all tied together and headed for the shore where they'll be questioned. The three of them split up and headed for different ships, though dangerous… they were very careful.

The ship closet to the shore made it, the only one to make it. but just when the crew was about to get off the ship, they noticed Hiyoko just standing there, waiting to greet them. She had a welcoming expression on her face, she didn't look like a threat at all. That was the idea… for them to let their guard down.

"Keep an eye on that girl, we don't want any surprises oka-" that's all he could say before Peko knocked him out with her bamboo sword, Fuyuhiko was able to incapacitate the other guard. While the Imposter and Gundham took care of the guards on the deck. Nekomaru, Akane and Hajime managed to take down the remaining ships. Some of the ships got close to the shore, but only one made it. And now it belonged to the seventy-seventh class, or as the world knows them, the Remnants of Despair. Fifteen former students of Hope's Peak Academy stopped a fleet of at least forty ships, they achieved the impossible. They're safe… for now.

"HOLY SHIT! WE DID IT! THIS IS AMAZING!" Kazuichi shouted as loud as he could, he was excited… who wouldn't be? "LOOK, from here… the ships form a blockade, HOW COOL IS THAT!?"

"Geez calm down, no need to get too excited…" Fuyuhiko shrugged as Kazuichi was still celebrating.

"We are victorious… not even a fleet of forty battleships are a match for our combined power!"

"YES! Good job everyone!" Sonia said happily.

They watched as Nekomaru, Akane and Hajime swan back to the docks. They couldn't believe how fast Hajime was, the three of them were soaking wet. All they could do was laugh. "Okay… everyone listen up, I need to tell you something important… the ones who attacked us knew we were here, isn't that strange?"

"Kyoko said they wouldn't tell anyone, did they lie?" Sonia guessed first.

"I don't think so… I think they're in trouble. So, I've decided… I'm going to the Future Foundation's Headquarters".

"WHAT!?" Kazuichi was understandably shocked after hearing that. Sonia and Fuyuhiko gave their opinions next.

"ARE YOU FUCKING INSANE!?"

"THAT'S INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS!"

"I know… that's why I'm asking you… to come with me". He was asking a lot from them, if he could do it on his own… then he wouldn't ask, even seeing into the Future has it's limits. He saw himself there… jus not how it ended, that's why he had no choice but to ask for help. "Also… I think… Ryota Mitarai is there".

"What?" The Imposter had to speak up after hearing that name. An old friend. "How do you know?"

"I saw it. I posses every talent known to mankind; Clairvoyance is one of them". He was honest, nothing would be gained by lying to them.

"You can foresee the future!? IMPOSSIBLE!" Gundham was sceptical.

"If I didn't just see you take down that fleet, I'd say you fucking lost it, but… I have no reason to doubt you… *sigh* I guess I'm in". Fuyuhiko was the first to join him, hoping he wouldn't be the only one, thankfully… he wasn't.

"Where he goes… I go". Peko stepped forward to stand alongside Fuyuhiko.

"After this, consider us even". Gundham stood forward next, right before a certain Princess did the same.

"I'd be happy to accompany you".

"If you guys are going… there's no way I'm staying here. I'm in too". Kazuichi was next.

"I need to see Ryota, so I'll go as well".

"SOUNDS LIKE FUN!" Not the response Hajime wanted, but he'll take it. besides, it's Ibuki… since when is she serious?

"If you need a chef, I'll gladly join you".

"I'll do my best… for everyone's sake". Mikan finally mustered up the courage, she didn't even stutter.

"I suppose I have no choice". Mahiru agreed as well. Hiyoko would obviously be next.

"This is annoying… this better be quick".

"Let's save our classmate… together". Nekomaru didn't need to think it over at all.

The only one who hasn't answered yet was Akane, which was a surprise… they thought she'd be the first one to volunteer… but for some reason, she was hesitating. That's not like her. Something must be wrong. Before they could ask her, she walked up to Hajime, looking him in the eyes. "You're… different somehow. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I've never been better".

"Then count me in, can't let you have all the fun". She smiled as she punched him in the shoulder. He smiled back as he held his shoulder, everyone was smiling after they all agreed to go to the Future Foundation's headquarters together… but they had to prepare.  
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Everybody was doing their own thing in order to prepare for their trip to the Future Foundation's headquarters, some were searching the ship they captured, Nekomaru was keeping an eye on the Future Foundation members they tied up to make sure they couldn't get free and Kazuichi was making a whole bunch of robots.

"Are those Minimaru robots?" Fuyuhiko said as he looked over Kazuichi's shoulder.

"Yep… believe me, they will be extremely helpful". Kazuichi looked confident. It's been awhile since he felt that way, those robots must be amazing. If that's the case. Nekomaru doesn't understand why those robots looked like his robot body… but he thought it would be better if he just ignored it. "Damn… this ship has everything. I mean it has a GPS, maps and even large cannons so we can attack from a distance… we have to keep it".

"I wonder why they didn't just fire at the island? They could've killed us that way". Mahiru brought up a good point as she walked towards the two boys, Hiyoko joined the group as they were talking.

"That ship was too close to fire at us, plus they only saw me… everyone else were either hiding or sneaking onto the ship. But still… that was surprisingly easy".

"Hajime! I need to ask you something, how exactly did you take down all those Future Foundation members by yourself? That should be impossible". The Imposter needed to know the answer, the others made sur to listen in.

"I swam to the furthest ship, snuck onboard and started knocking them out. Most of the ships were in a straight line… forming a blockade, so I made sure to drop the anchors in order to prevent them from moving anymore. I also knocked out the captain and steered some of the ships into each other, I took out twenty of them, Akane took out ten, Nekomaru took out nine and you guys took this one. Great job by the way".

"Whoa! I just realized something! where's Nagito?" Ibuki got everyone's attention by yelling, but it was a good question.

"He's okay, he's in the control room… I'll wake him soon".

"Hajime… can you come with me for a second? You're needed for something". Sonia surprised him by whispering into his ear. Whatever she needed; it must have been something serious.

"Okay". Hajime followed her as they made it to Hajime's cottage, there they saw Gundham waiting for them. The three of them didn't go inside… for some reason. "Wait… why is Gundham here?"

"I have decided to… form a contract with Sonia, officially making her… my partner". He said that last part while blushing, Sonia was smiling the whole time.

"Partner?... OH, congratulations!" He was happy for them and honoured that they told him before anyone else. "Hold on… you said I was needed for something, is this it?"

"No, the reason I asked you here wasn't just this, the reason is waiting in your cottage. Just so you know… if there's a chance we could die while at the Future Foundation's headquarters, then THIS needs to happen". After that Sonia and Gundham left and headed back to the ship. Leaving Hajime behind, confused and curious… wondering what was in his cottage. He grabbed the doorknob and turned it, opening the door and revealing someone sitting on his bed.

"Akane?"

"Hey…" She said as she stood up to face him.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Yeah… please listen to what I have to say…" Akane was blushing while she talked, she also looked very nervous.

"Okay" Hajime closed the door behind him and faced Akane once more, ready to hear what she has to say.

"Do you know why I hesitated with something you on the Future Foundation's headquarters trip?"

"I assumed it was because you were worrying about my health, based on what happened with Nekomaru and Gundham… I wouldn't blame you".

"No… it was something else".

Hajime walked up to her. He was still confused as he reached out and held her hand, but he knew it was troubling her. He kept quiet as she started to talk again.

"When I think about you… when I hold your hand… when I touch you… I'm happy, but I'm scared… I'm satisfied with so little. But at the same time, I want more… I don't understand… this is the first time… I've ever felt this way… there's still a lot I don't understand… but I'm certain about some things".

Hajime said nothing. He was shocked… and he was blushing, it felt like that day on the beach when they said they loved each other.

"I don't want to let you go. I'll stay by your side forever, close enough to hold your hand. I want to… be closer… to you, if this is what couples do… then I want to do that. That's what it means to love… right? I don't want to lose anything, you… or this feeling". Akane reached into her shirt pocket and pulled out what she had inside. Hajime's red face got even redder after seeing what was in her hand. But not as red as her face.

"Akane… are you serious about this? Do you really want this?"

"Yeah… if there's a chance we could die today, then I want to do it now". Hajime said nothing in response, instead he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips. It became passionate as they wrapped their arms around each other. They ended up falling onto Hajime's bed, completely ready to take the next step in their relationship.  
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Hajime woke up in his bed, realizing the time was now three in the morning. The sun wasn't even up yet. He's been asleep for one hour, which means everyone should be prepared to head to the Future Foundation's headquarters now. He got out of bed and started putting his clothes back on. Akane woke up and saw Hajime getting changed.

"Are we going to head off soon?" Hajime turned around to see Akane standing there… with no clothes on. He can feel his nose starting to bleed as he quickly turned his back to her, she just smiled her usual toothy grin as she put her clothes back on.

"Um… you should go to the ship and rejoin the others, I'll be with you shortly". Hajime tried to leave but Akane tapped him on the shoulder… he turned to face her, when he did she placed her hands on his cheeks, pulling him closer to her. He was a bit surprised as Akane kissed him out of nowhere, but he was happy as he kissed back. They kept eye contact as they stepped away from each other, they felt closer than ever. They both left Hajime's cottage and left the hotel grounds. Akane was about to head back to the ship until she heard him speak. "I love you Akane… and I always will".

"Thanks, I love you too. Now go wake up that idiot".

"How did you-"

"I went with my gut". Akane winked at him as she left, he was speechless, but impressed. He started heading for the control room, to wake up one more person, the last person. The Ultimate Lucky Student… Nagito Komaeda.


	35. WORLD DESTROYER

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUTHOR'S NOTE: this chapter is actually Danganronpa 2.5 Nagito Komaeda and the World Destroyer. it's the longest chapter I wrote and I made it work with the entire timeline. honestly you could just watch the episode on YouTube instead of reading this, but that's up to you.

A beautiful day, he couldn't help but think that while heading to Hope's Peak Academy. 'My name is Nagito Komaeda. I'm just a run-of-the-mill guy who goes to a run-of-the-mill school. There's only one thing really exceptional about me…' He turned to his left and noticed a cat in a tree, smiling as he didn't pay attention to what was in front of him. Nagito was too slow to react before a girl ran into him, as he leaned towards the road… a truck cam out of nowhere and sent him flying into the tree that cat was sleeping in, seed pods fell from the tree and attached themselves to Nagito's uniform and hair, the cat fell into his arms and felt threatened as it started to scratch his face. "Yeesh, I have the worst luck".

He got up and headed back to the side walk, resuming his objective… heading to school. 'There are people in this world with talent great enough to shape the foundation of society, I'm not one of them, I'm just another face in the crowd. Which isn't to say I envy them, though. No, it's much easier being a nobody. The star of the show is such a restrictive, demanding role'. Nagito was pulled from his thoughts when he felt someone's hand on his shoulder.

"Hey Nagito… you look like you got thrown through a woodchipper". Kazuichi appeared on his right while Fuyuhiko appeared on his left.

"What the hell happened?"

"Some chestnuts fell on me, that's all". Not the best lie he could've told, the others seemed to not be fazed by it.

"You should stop by the nurse's office".

"I will, thanks". Nagito was happy to see that Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi were worried about him, even though he felt like he didn't deserve it.  
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Class 1-B, loud as usual… everyone was occupied with something. the Imposter and Ryota were talking while reading a magazine, Mahiru and Hiyoko were also chatting while Ibuki was adjusting her guitar. Akane was doing push ups while balancing on two chairs… Nekomaru was watching and counting as she did it. TeruTeru and Gundham were feeding meat to a bear, shouldn't be a problem since Gundham is great with animals. Peko was minding her own business while Kazuichi and Fuyuhiko were talking, until they heard the door open.

"Good morning, everyone".

"Took you long enough- wha- Aaah!" Kazuichi screamed after seeing Nagito's face covered in bandages.

"Is it just me, or are you even more beat up than before?"

"I'm sorry! It's all my fault!" Mikan appeared from behind Nagito, tears running down her face.

"Don't blame yourself, Mikan. If anyone's at fault here, it's me. While she was patching me up in the nurse's office, someone outside hit a home run… right through the window. The ball broke through the display of drugs and chemicals… realising it all and making my wounds worse, and that was that. The guy who hit the ball autographed it as an apology, though". He said as he held the ball in his hand.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Mikan kept apologizing as if it would somehow make things better.

"You got it pretty rough, don't you?"

"Oh no, I wouldn't say that. I believe that there's a fixed quantity of 'Luck' in the world, which means that the more bad Luck I have, the more good Luck that leaves for others. Can you think of a greater honour than a nobody like me knowing they can still make the world a better place for everyone?"

"Yeah, I can think of a thousand. Aah! Good morning Miss Sonia! Fancy meeting you here! Oh, how fortunate I am!" Kazuichi was so happy to see Sonia enter the classroom, would it kill him to treat her like a normal person and not a Princess?

"This is our classroom. There is nothing fanciful about our encounter, you silly boy".

"You got me there". He couldn't help but laugh as a response.

"It's a wonderful thing to see someone find happiness when their dreams come true". Nagito and Fuyuhiko were watching the whole thing go down.

"You got any dreams?"

"Me? No, I'm a nobody. I'm too insignificant to have a dream". Nagito took a seat at his desk, which was not far from Fuyuhiko's desk.

"Nice dodge. You know, if you dropped the whole 'nobody' act and showed your true colours, I bet you'd make one hell of a splash".

"Oh, no. it's not an act and I don't have enough talent to make even a tiny little ripple".

"Have you ever actually tried?"

"I'll leave to trying to those who have real talent". He just lied down on his desk, Fuyuhiko just stared at him.

"Sup, losers? How's it hanging?" Nagito probably would've fallen asleep if Kazuichi didn't pat him on the back.

"you're calling us losers?"

"Did something happen?" Kazuichi didn't say anything, although the look on his face said it all… he was extremely happy.

"You're giving me the damned creeps, man".

"Well I asked Miss Sonia, 'came to join me for refreshments after class?' And guess what she said?" 'Why certainty', she said yes!"

"Oh, good for you".

"That's wonderful! Your lifelong dream has finally come true, Kazuichi! I'm so very happy for you!" tears can be seen forming in his eyes, he really was happy for him.

"Y-yeah… thanks, but I mean, we're just meeting up at a café, that's all". Kazuichi looked back at Sonia, she waved at him as he waved back. The teacher… Chisa Yukizome, Ultimate Housekeeper greeted everyone then told them to take their seats for homeroom.

"ALL RISE! BOW! BE SEATED!" Ibuki was shouting as she played her guitar, it was an electric guitar, so it was very loud.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Kazuichi was walking pretty weird as he made his way to the café, where he will meet Sonia. He then ran towards the street post, running past the café on purpose, he might be thinking about ditching. Until he startled by a familiar voice.

"The hell you so relieved about? You're not planning to ditch, are you? You pussy".

"Pussy? Guess I am". He admitted it without much hesitation.

"C'mon man".

"What's the matter? You seemed so excited this morning".

"Can you blame me? You've seen how pretty Miss Sonia is. She may say some kind of bizarre stuff sometimes, but she's smart and she's literally a Princess on top of that".

"So, what you're saying is she too good for you?"

"Damn straight, she is! I'm just… I'm just a kid who likes to play with machines. Anyone could tell you I'm not worth a second of her time… so I can't-"

"Why the hell are you worried about being suitable? You're not even dating! Social status be ashamed, a man doesn't back down on his word. Period".

"You're right! You're absolutely right! But I'm not the kind of man you are!"

"Kazuichi, it's talent that you desire, isn't it?" Kazuichi and Fuyuhiko didn't say anything in response, they wanted to know what he meant by that. "Compared to a princess like Sonia, you're inconsequential and that makes you anxious. I understand that feeling".

"Talent? Maybe you're right…"

"For fuck's sake. Grow a pair! Talent doesn't matter a damned bit!"

"Your pride could be considered a sort of talent as well, Fuyuhiko".

"That's being counterproductive here, man…"

"Alright, fine. So, what about us without talent? What do we do?"

"Find happiness. I mean look around. The vast majority of society consists of talentless nobodies, but they've still managed t find some degree of happiness. See? You don't need talent. Talent is merely a shackle, and the greater it is, the more it obstructs your search for happiness. Sonia being a Princess doesn't mean she has a perfect life".

"That's a good point. Yeah… you're right". After hearing Nagito said that, it made Kazuichi happy.

"Now go on. Don't keep Sonia waiting".

"Yeah. Thanks man". Kazuichi ran off towards the café, while Nagito and Fuyuhiko headed off in the opposite direction.

"I'm impressed. Guess not everything that comes out of your mouth is noise".

"Now that's harsh".

"Have you heard yourself when you start rambling? You're so far off the wall it's scary… but you landed this one perfectly".

"Thank you, I suppose?" The two boys, fist bumped after clearly showing respect to each other. "Ahh, if only the world were free of talent".

"Huh?"

"Think about it… if Sonia weren't a Princess but an ordinary girl. Kazuichi wouldn't have had anything to worry about in the first place".

"Uh, I guess?'

"I… I despite talent. Were I able, I would erase all talent from the world entirely. Without talent, everyone would be able to lead modest lives, find a modest amount of happiness. Don't you think that would be wonderful?" Nagito backed Fuyuhiko into the wall, but Fuyuhiko wasn't too worried… since Peko was watching over them, hiding in the bushes.

"Back off".

"Huh?"

"I said back off already. I take it back- you're still a creep".

"Oh, uh, I'm sorry".

"I mean, it's fine. It's who you are. Anyway, what do you say we grab a drink, get a head start om celebrating for Kazuichi?" He said as he walked away.

"Uh… we're still in high school, though".

"They're non-alcoholic- if anyone asks".

Nagito smiled as he ran to Fuyuhiko's side, but he ended up tripping on a bottle, rolling down the path at lightning speed. He ended up crashing into someone, Mikan Tsumiki. He found himself seeing a pair of panties, Mikan's to be exact.

"I'm so sorryyy…" Nagito got up and quickly noticed that Mikan wasn't alone, Hiyoko was there too.

"Did you not get the memo, Nagito? I'm the only who's allowed to beat up on Mikan". She said as she cracked her knuckles.

"Jeez, I really have the worst Luck".

"I'm tempted to call 'that' it's own kind of talent". Fuyuhiko said as he watched.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
At the top of a building, somebody appeared out of nowhere. They looked like Hajime Hinata, but BOTH his eyes were red… like Izuru Kamakura. "It would seem this is as deep as I can go. So, this world then, is the lowest stratum? There is no saving this. I have no choice but to destroy it". he suddenly felt like he wasn't the only one there, so he turned around… with his fingers in the shape of a gun. He saw police officers, but they weren't normal. For that reason alone, the mysterious boy used his fingers like a gun and shot the officers in the head one at a time, killing them. "How dull". The more he killed, the more appeared… he just kept shooting. "How dreadfully dull".  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Sonia was by the window in her bedroom, she seemed happy as she looked at her phone to see a picture of her and Kazuichi taking a selfie together. It looks like they had a great time at the café.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
A funeral? And not just anybody's funeral, it was Kazuichi Soda's funeral. How did this happen? Everyone was speechless. They all stood there, mourning their loss. What hurts the most is they don't know how he died. Everyone was depressed… all except Fuyuhiko, who was just mad and frustrated. But he wasn't mad at just happened, also at what Peko was whispering into his ear.

"That's what I've been told".

"And you're sure that's the case?" Peko just nods in response as Fuyuhiko turned around and left the room. "Goddammit".

Nagito noticed Fuyuhiko leave the room and followed him, seeing the look he had on his face, Nagito couldn't help but be concerned. "Is something the matter?"

"I just got word… Kazuichi was murdered".

"No way… I thought it was an accident".

"Nope. They messed him up really bad too. I've got to go. You take care of things here". Fuyuhiko tried to leave but Nagito grabbed his arm before he could.

"Go where? The funeral's about to begin".

"Where the hell do you think? To catch the bastard who did this".

"You can't- it's too dangerous. Let the police handle it". Fuyuhiko shook his head in response.

"He was like a brother to me".

"Please be careful".

"so, you coming or not?"

"I wouldn't be any help. I'd only get in your way". He was quick to refuse, he really thought there was no point in him going with Fuyuhiko and Peko.

"Well, that's your choice". Fuyuhiko started to leave after Nagito let go of his arm… but stopped after hearing another voice call out.

"Wait a second! I shall accompany you".

"Now , now, little lady, you don't have any place where I'm going".

"Hold your tongue, no one tells Sonia Nevermind what she can and cannot do. And that includes you". Her mind's made up and nothing can convince not to go.

"You want to tag along? Be my guest". Fuyuhiko didn't put up much of a fight, it almost looked like he was impressed by her determination.

"That I shall".

Nagito stood there, dumbfounded. Wanting to tell them it was a bad idea, but somehow he knew nothing he'd say would stop them from leaving. He looked into the room where the funeral was taking place and just stared at the coffin carrying Kazuichi's lifeless body. "How… how could this happen?"  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The funeral was over, and everyone started heading home, everyone except Nagito. 'there are people in this world with talent great enough to shape the foundation of society. I'm not one of them. I'm just another face in the crowd. Which isn't to say I envy them, though. No, it's much easier being a nobody. The star of the show is such a restrictive, demanding role. Were there no talent, everyone would be able to lead modest lives… find a modest amount of happiness…'  
\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Once again… the mysterious figure was atop a building, one that was under construction. He sat upon a steel girder hanging off the side of the building, extremely dangerous but it looked like he didn't care. Doing nothing but staring off into space, until he heard someone trying to get his attention.

"Hey, Asshole!" it was Fuyuhiko.

"Right on time". It seems he was expecting Fuyuhiko, Peko and Sonia to show up and confront him.

"You got some balls laying a hand on my brother!" Before he could say another word, the figure leaped off the edge and landed on his feet a few meters away from them. His landing caused such an impact, smoke formed around him. It definitely gave the others Goosebumps. "So, who the hell are you!?"

"The World… Destroyer".

"World Destroyer? Lose your head up there in the clouds, did you?"

"Was it truly you who killed Kazuichi?"

"From your perspective, that would be the case". He didn't beat around the bush at all, he was blunt about giving them the answer.

"Why would you do such a thing?"

"In order to destroy… this world".

"Why did Kazuichi have to-"

"The 'who' was irrelevant. Any of his friends would have sufficed". Sonia tried to fight back her tears; she couldn't let herself got distracted.

"You're just a damned terrorist with a dozen loose screws". That's all Fuyuhiko said before pulling out a small revolver, but Sonia stepped forward before Fuyuhiko could make the first move. "H-Hey!"

Sonia aimed a rocket launcher at the mysterious figure, which she got from Fuyuhiko and Peko. "Strike first and strike hard!" she said as she pulled the trigger and a rocket flew out and hit the figure.  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Nagito was in his bedroom, sitting on his bed. He felt terrible that he left Sonia, Peko and Fuyuhiko go without much of a fight… maybe if he tried harder, then they wouldn't have left the funeral so soon. He thought along those lines when his phone rang, it looked like Fuyuhiko was calling him, Nagito felt relieved as he picked up the phone and held it to his ear. "Hello?" but he immediately felt uneasy when Fuyuhiko didn't answer. Instead…

"Nagito… good, you're safe…"

"Peko?"

Please…listen carefully… there's not much time… the man who murdered Kazuichi… is after you…"

"W-What!?"

"He has short hair… and red eyes…" Peko was hurt, badly. The fight must not have gone well, if the mysterious figure survived that rocket, ten beating him would be impossible.

"Where are you?" He was clearly worried about her, but she just dodged the question.

"Listen. You made the correct call. You wouldn't stand a chance against him. You were right to run".

"Tell me! Where are you!? What happened!?"

"Fuyuhiko said to tell you… not to blame yourself…"

"Not to blame myself? For What!?"

"Keep yourself alive… so that one day… you can avenge Fuyuhiko for me…"

"Avenge him!? What's that supposed to mean!?"

"That I… I failed to protect him…" Peko looked towards her to see the mysterious figure slowly getting closer. She put down her phone, without hanging up. Peko got into a fighting stance while holding her sword with both hands. Even with a sore arm… she refused to back down. After taking a deep breath, she ran forward and swung her sword, hoping to wound him. But he moved out of the way, Peko couldn't believe it. Before she could attack again, the figure made his fingers into a gun and shot her in the head. The blood splattered onto the phone. Nagito was shocked after hearing all that happen… he heard his friend die over the phone while she was talking to him. Nagito felt like hanging up until he heard a voice.

"Am I speaking to Nagito Komaeda?"

"Who are you?"

"The World… Destroyer". The moment Nagito heard his voice, images started appearing in his head. An island, somebody on the beach and he even saw himself lying on the ground of a burning building. He was covered in very deep cuts, there was even a spear impaled into his stomach… he was dead. "Has your world crumbled yet?"

"Huh?" He was brought back to his senses when the figure spoke again.

"It would seem not".

"What are you talking about?"

"Then I shall proceed until it has… one by one. Piece by piece. I will tear it down. I will leave nothing behind. I will offer no mercy. I will spare no one".

"I'VE HEARD ENOUGH!" He hung up and threw his phone onto his bed, clearly fed up with what just went down. Nagito then got a message, telling him to meet the figure at the construction site…  
\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Nagito couldn't believe what he found, the bodies of Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu and Sonia Nevermind. Both of them were shot in the head. Nagito knew the 'World Destroyer' wouldn't be far off, o he picked up Fuyuhiko's gun and headed into the building. He was right, Nagito was face to face… with him.

"I did not anticipate you would show up so soon. I expected I would have to delete another ten of your friends".

"Neither Fuyuhiko, nor Peko, nor Sonia were by any means pushovers. You must posses a great deal of talent to be able to take them out so easily. You see, I… I despise talent. Were I able, I would erase all talent from the world entirely. And I've never felt that so strongly. So, you… have to go".

"And how do you plan to get rid of me with no talent of your own?"

"I won't deny I'm just a regular guy with a bit of an unlucky streak. I don't belong anywhere near the spotlight". Nagito took out a seed pod from his pocket and threw it at the wall behind the figure. It bounced off the wall and then bounced off a girder, finally landing in Nagito's hair. "See? Anything I do turns out badly for me. I could never come out of this on top. But you know what? Even though I lack any real talent, I can't see myself losing to you either". He then took out a ball from his other pocket and threw at the wall. It bounced off the wall like the seed pod. The ball came back to Nagito, it would've hit him in the head if he didn't catch it.

"What you're feeling is called 'Hope'". The figure smiled.

"Hope? Hope… what a peculiar sounding word. Although, I feel like I've heard it before… all right, then. Let's see what that 'Hope' can achieve!" Nagito shouted as he threw the ball as hard as he could. It bounced around the whole building, all the screws came loose and fell to the ground. "I have such terrible Luck. I couldn't possibly defeat you. But maybe I can take you out with me. Imagine how incredibly unlucky you'd have to be to make a whole building collapse by merely throwing a ball even if it 'was' already falling apart". Nagito pulled out the gun he picked up earlier and pointed it at the figure, but then he aimed it to his right and pulled the trigger. "Fuyuhiko, thank you". The bullet bounced off the girders and eventually making it back to Nagito, right through the side of his head. His lifeless body fell to the ground.

The building came apart and started to collapse, within a few seconds… everything was in ruin. However, the mysterious figure was perfectly fine, no scratches at all. But he wasn't the only one. Nagito pushed a girder off him and got back on his feet, his attire changed somehow, but he wasn't thinking about that. He was going to say something before the 'World Destroyer' spoke first.

"World Destruction complete". The scenery changed into something that resembled the matrix… but instead of green and black, it was white and blue.

"At last, free from that illusion. We're inside the Neo World program, aren't we?" Nagito didn't seem to be fazed by It, almost like he knew where he was all along.

"Indeed. That was definitely a world in need of destroying".

"And you're Izuru Kamakura, I take it?"

"More precisely, I am an Alter ego modified to perform psychodives. After your death within the Neo World program, the data containing your psyche was successfully restored. However, the traumatic circumstances of your death caused psychological instability. My task was to eliminate that instability".

"So, what you're saying is… everyone in there was all in my head?"

"Yes. Your fourteen classmates were each a fragment of your psyche which also served as psychological defence mechanisms. Hence ten more friends to delete".

"Tell me… was all of that being monitored from the outside?"

"No, your personal privacy is of the utmost importance".

"Thank goodness. I can't believe I actually said I wanted a world without any talent if it meant everyone could find happiness. That's just not who I am".

"That world, and the people inhabiting it, were a reflection of your own desires. One of many possible outcomes". Nagito turned around and saw all his classmates standing there, excluding Ryota, Chiaki and Hajime. "What might have been if one Nagito Komaeda lacked his good fortune and led a quiet, uneventful life".

Nagito turned back around to face 'Alter ego'. "I'll pass on that 'possibility'. What the world needs is Hope- immense Hope born from equally immense talent".

"Alter ego, all assigned tasks executed successfully". The moment he said that, everything went dark.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Nagito woke up to a familiar face, Hajime's face. "Hey! Can you hear me?"

"Ahhh… Izuru Kamakura? No… you're, uh, Hajime Hinata, right?" He extended his arm; he was surprised that somehow he could move his left arm. Hajime took his arm and pulled him out of the pod he was sleeping in.

"They're both me".

"I suppose I should thank you for waking me up? I knew you'd make it to the lowest stratum- I believed in you. How are the others?"

"You're the last one out". The wall behind them split in half, revealing the outside AND the others, who came to check on them. The secret hangar door opened because Kazuichi used the little remote he had with him since Nekomaru and Gundham went crazy.

Nagito smiled as he looked at his arm, wondering how he was able to move it. Hajime detached Nagito's ring finger and pressed the blue button. He was surprised to see his arm was completely bionic. He eventually decided to keep it that way, since he admired the work Hajime put into it.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
Everything was ready, they were about to head to the Future Foundation's headquarters to help Makoto Naegi and his friends. "You were in there long enough. What kind of dream were you having?"

"Sorry to keep you waiting. I guess I overslept a bit".

"Dreaming about a bunch of pretty girls, were you?" Nagito didn't say a word, instead he hugged Fuyuhiko and Kazuichi out of nowhere. "WHOA!"

"THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"

"It wasn't a bad dream, at least".

"HEY! GET OFF ME!" Kazuichi shouted as Hajime, Peko and Sonia watched them. Hajime couldn't help but laugh at them. "You're breathing all over me! BACK OFF!"

"You damn creep!"

"Let's get going, then, shall we?" Hajime extended his hand, waiting for Nagito to take it. and he did it with his new bionic arm.

"Yes, let's set off, in the name of Hope".


	36. TRUE HOPE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AUTHOR'S NOTE: think of this chapter as the HOPE ARC, but longer. also, it's not focusing on Makoto and his friends like the actual episode does, it focuses entirely on Hajime and his friends. thank you for reading. hopefully it's the ending you all wanted.

Everyone was on the ship they stole and were heading straight for the Future Foundation's headquarters. They were able to find out where their destination was through the maps on the ship and by interrogating the Future Foundation members they kept tied up. Once they became useless, the members were knocked out, there was no need to kill them. Using the GPS, the ship was basically steering itself. Everyone was able to relax or prepare before they arrive. They were all on the ship deck… listening to Hajime explain the plan.

"The main building is not the priority, there's a hole in front of the building… that's where we need to go".

"How many people are going to be there?" Mahiru was the first to ask a question.

"A lot, so… we'll have to split up".

"I had a feeling you were going to say that, oh well… continue".

"Gundham, Nagito, Peko, Fuyuhiko, Mahiru and Twogami. You guys will remain outside and make sure nobody gets inside… alone or together, it doesn't matter. I know you can do it". Hajime had a lot of faith in them, no sign of distrust in his voice.

"Of course, we can do it… I have Hope". Nagito replied while smiling.

"I going to put on a show they'll never forget". Ibuki sounded way too excited.

"You can count on us". Mahiru responded shortly after.

"I shall extinguish all who stand in our way". Gundham followed.

"We won't fail".

"How bold, though it'll be extremely dangerous… I wouldn't be much of a Yakuza if I sat this one out". Fuyuhiko and Peko gave their answers with smiles on their faces.

"Hey… why did you call me Twogami?" The Imposter looked at Hajime with confusion.

"Calling you 'the Imposter' is getting old, since you currently look like Byakuya Togami… I just thought of a name to call you on the spot. Is that okay?" Hajime gave him an identity, Twogami felt like crying, he felt… happy.

"I like it… thank you Hajime. no matter what happens, we will find Ryota and bring him home with us".

"While you're outside, Akane, Nekomaru, TeruTeru, Hiyoko, Mikan, Kazuichi, Sonia and I will go down the hole and take out anyone who sees us as a threat. After the threat is taken care of, we'll search for Ryota… and stop him?"

"Stop him? What do you mean?"

"You all remember the video Junko forced you to watch… it was… Chiaki's execution". Everyone was shocked to be reminded at how they all became Ultimate Despair. "Ryota plans to do something similar. But instead of Despair, his video will force you to feel Hope".

"Son of a bitch, why would he do that?" Twogami was sceptical about what Hajime just said. After all, he knew Ryota the best.

"I don't know, we'll have to ask him. Anyway… you all deserve to know something". they all looked at him. Akane had a worried expression on her face, she knew what was coming. "I saw Chiaki die… right in front of me".

"WHAT!?" Nekomaru was the first to speak up after a few moments of stunned silence.

"We saw her die, there was nobody there but her". Peko didn't believe him, until he continued.

"Not during, after. She was alive… barely holding on to life. I wanted to help her, but I couldn't move. I ended up watching her take her last breath… this is all I have to remember her by". He said as he reached into his pocket, taking out the pixelated ship hairpiece and showing it to everyone.

"IS T-THAT!? CHIAKI'S HAIRPIECE!?" Fuyuhiko was dumbfound, everybody else except Akane felt the same way.

"I'm sorry for keeping this from you, I wouldn't blame you if you were mad…". He felt like he was about to cry. Before he could say another word, someone hugged him, surprising everyone there. It was Akane, he could feel tears running down his face.

"You think it's your fault, don't you?" she let go and placed her hands on Hajime's cheeks, making him look her in the eyes. "It's not your fault, no one blames you".

Sonia walked up to both of them and wrapped her arms around them, embracing them as she cried. "You carried this burden for so long, I wish you told us sooner. Chiaki was our friend too, we loved her as much as you did".

Kazuichi and Fuyuhiko spoke up next, smiling as they looked at Hajime. "Look around you idiot, everyone here was as good as dead, but you saved them… you saved us".

"He's right, we'd all be lost without you. You're more than a friend… you're like the brother I never had. No matter what happens, I'll trust you to the very end".

"… Thank you. Everyone". Hajime smiled as everyone smiled back at him. They're all alive thanks to him. He couldn't feel happier. "We're here". Everyone turned around to see a collapsed building in the distance, they docked the ship and were about to leave before they heard him speak again. "You see that part of the building? That's the axis, Ryota's in there about to upload that Hope video. Before we go to him, we need to stop the Future Foundation first".

"How much time do we have?" Nagito asked out of curiosity, but It was important, too important to ignore.

"Not a lot of time, I think… maybe thirty minutes".

"We can do it. I know we can". Nagito said as everyone got off the ship and headed for the Future Foundation's headquarters on foot. The ones focusing on the outside went one way, while the ones focusing on the inside went the other way. Seven people outside and eight people inside. It was time to end this… the fight between Hope and Despair is about to come to an end.  
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The group split up as instructed and the pairings were formed. Outside, Gundham decided to go at it alone, Ibuki and Mahiru stayed together and decided to guard the hole so nobody can follow. Fuyuhiko and Peko naturally stayed together… after witnessing people parachuting in, they were on a root so they can be the first in line to deal with them. Twogami and Nagito went around the main building to make sure no one can attack from behind.

Inside, Kazuichi, Sonia and Nekomaru went down one of three hallways. Hiyoko and Mikan went down the second and Hajime, Akane and TeruTeru went down the third. Hajime's group hitting a fork in the road. He pointed to the hallway to his left… telling Akane and TeruTeru to go that way while he went the other way.

Hajime ended up finding a big door. As it turns out, that was the main office, where the first and murder of Makoto Naegi's new killing game took place. He entered the room and walked up to a body; Hajime knew this woman. "Miss Yukizome… you'd be proud, I've worked out what's important… she was absolutely right". He took out the hairpiece from his pocket and stared at it. "In and of itself talent doesn't matter… because that was never the aim, still… I can live with myself as I am. Yes… I've used my talent for terrible things, but by that same talent… I did bring everyone back. So, it evens it out… a little, you can wait for a miracle or you can make one".  
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"You take out this group, I'll take the other". Twogami left Nagito as he headed towards a guy in a white suit being corned by Future Foundation members.

Nagito saw a bunch of people shooting at each other. He was atop a large pile of rubble. He wondered what he could do to help as he tried to get closer to the edge in order to get a better look. As he did, he ended up kicking a pebble off the edge, which hit slightly larger pebble, which hit a rock, which hit a bigger rock and it continued until the gunmen beneath him were incapacitated by something that could resemble a rockslide. Nagito waved at the people he just saved; little did he know that Makoto Naegi was among them. "Good to be back".  
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Twogami made his way through a crowd of Future Foundation members until he made it to the guy in a white suit. He had no idea that he was helping the vice president of the Future Foundation. But in that moment… he didn't really care. Before he made it to him, he changed his look/identity from Byakuya Togami to Kyosuke Munakata, the very man he was helping.

"You mock me remnant, what is the meaning of this?" Kyosuke was clearly annoyed.

"Overdue atonement".  
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Peko kept dodging every single attack that was thrown at her, she jumped over a water tower, causing her opponent to attack it instead of her. The water tower broke open and water came flooding out. Her opponent didn't have time to react as Peko dashed through the water fountain the attacker accidently created and struck him in the chest with her bamboo sword. That wasn't even a challenge for her.

"You know, bamboo suits you better than a real sword". Fuyuhiko said as he walked towards her with a smile on her face.

"Yes, I noticed". She couldn't help but smile back.  
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Gundham was staring down a Future Foundation member that had a falcon with him, he can tell his opponent was afraid. "When the seal upon my true name is broken, the rising sun will scourge the multiverse to ash. Prepare thyself! It shall be the last thing you'll hear. The dread hour's upon us, held well at this moral. For my name is GUNDHAM TANAKA!" lightning struck, making his presence even more terrifying. The falcon left it's owner and rested on Gundham's head. He even had twenty hamsters on his person. Where did they come from? Who knows. "Shiver and sleep".  
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Nekomaru was fighting off a robot, how ironic. He was strong enough to push it back, but it kept resisting. "ALRIGHTY THEN! Full power it is!" Nekomaru turned his head slightly to look behind him after hearing a noise, he saw another robot. After ripping the first robot's head off, he was going to attack the second… but someone beat him to it.

"Yeah, Minimaru troops go!" Kazuichi's Minimaru robots attached themselves to the enemy and self-destructed, destroying the robot before Nekomaru could do anything. "Was that cool or was that cool!? Did you see!?" He turned to see Sonia looking elsewhere, he felt pretty crappy. "Dang it Miss Sonia, you're supposed to watch".

"Outstanding work".

"Huh? Did you just say-" He was thrilled to hear that from the girl he loved, little did he know… Sonia is dating Gundham. Telling him was not on her to do list. She just smiled at him.  
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"TERUTERU, MEAT NOW!" Akane shouted as she ran down the hall towards him and a Future Foundation member.

"Order up". TeruTeru threw a few pieces of meat in the air after cooking then and Akane ate all of them as she ran past him.

"YEAH! HEY IT'S JUSTIN BIEBER!" The Future Foundation member started throwing knives at Akane, hoping to hurt or kill her. But she wasn't having that. She caught the knives with her teeth and then bit then all in half, she's gotten A LOT stronger. Her opponent spit fire at her as a last resort, but she blocked it with two meats on the bone. The Future Foundation member was terrified as Akane took a bite of the meat that was now very well cooked. "Just the way I like it!" She then uppercut him with the meat on the bone. Besides Hajime, nobody was stronger than her now.  
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Hiyoko was backing away from multiple attacks by a Future Foundation member with long fingernails. "Okay… if someone could save me please". That's all she said before falling over, Mikan came to the rescue by injecting the attack with a sleeping drug.

"I came as fast as I could, did she get you?" Apparently Mikan left Hiyoko for a brief moment after discovering Kyoko Kirigiri's body. Thankfully, she was able to make it back in time.

"Way to take your time, dirty pig". Hiyoko got up and refused to look Mikan in the eyes. "…Whatever, thanks I guess". She blushed as she said that. And Mikan couldn't help but cry after hearing that from Hiyoko of all people.  
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Ibuki was playing extremely loud music in the main building lobby, making every Future Foundation member there to pass out from shock. One member however was wearing headphones, so she wouldn't pass out. They aimed at Ibuki using a sniper rifle, but right when they looked through the scope to confirm their aiming was accurate, Mahiru appeared and took a picture with the flash on, blinding the sniper for a quick moment. Enough time for Mikan to take the sniper's headphones off and watch her pass out like the others. "ROCK AND ROLL!" Ibuki shouted as she and Mahiru high fived, celebrating their amazing victory.  
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Hajime was the first one to the axis, but he knew it wouldn't be easy… or would it? there were a handful of Future Foundation members guarding the entrance, which seemed to be locked from the other side. But he knew he was going to win. "Step aside". The moment he said that, they all attacked him at the same time. But in the blink of an eye… he beat them all. To Hajime, his opponents were moving so slow, that he defeated all of them with hardly any effort. He took a grenade from one of the knocked up guards, pulled the pin and threw it at the door, destroying it and revealing Ryota Mitarai in the centre of the room. Waiting for the Hope video to finish uploading. "Hey! Ryota!" He turned to face Hajime and was surprised and terrified to see him again.

"Izuru Kamakura. You're too late so back off! Hope will win, even if have to die protecting it. the world is only moments away from never feeling Despair again!"

"Sounds dull, so that's the ned of feeling then? Hope is all anyone will ever know? Hope in place of say grief, losing a loved one?"

"I don't expect a man like you to understand! Human beings are weak!" Before he could continue, the others finally arrived. Ryota didn't know how to react.

"Maybe we really aren't that strong, I have my share of regret… that's something we all have in common".

"… yeah, I imagine we do. I enabled Junko Enoshima to do what she did! Because of me… countless people died. Even as we speak, people are dying! If not for me… you'd have peace. The years spent at school would be the best years of your life. But no, I was a coward and ran away. So, all of this is on my hands".

"If that's what you want to believe, go right ahead. At least now we know why you're doing this. You'd rather the past be forgotten, wipe the slate clean, we get it… stay your ground".

"That's the idea. It's what all of this is about. If it hadn't been for me, Junko Enoshima… would have never turned you!"

"I'd erase the past if I could, but it's not in my power". Once again Hajime stared at the hairpiece in his hand. "Somethings have to be remembered… Chiaki was real, I can't pretend like she never existed. We have her to thank for still being alive".

"Everyday we survive is a girt, one we can use to undo all this shit". Nekomaru smiled as he looked at Ryota.

"Do you not see? Atonement is our destiny". Gundham did the same.

"Not mine, not by a long shot… look at me, look at what I've done. I'm beyond forgiveness".

"As are each of us, forgiveness is not what we're seeking".

"Got that right". Kazuichi said after Sonia's reassuring comment.

"I don't understand, what am I supposed to do now?"

"Yes, you were wrong… but then so are we. You make mistakes, we make mistakes". Twogami changed his appearance to Ryota himself.

"No… don't do that. Don't try to lump us together… I'm alone, the blame belongs squarely on me!" the sun finally rose, and the rain finally stopped.

"Fine then… all the more reason to join us".

"Huh? Are you serious?"

"There's no need for you to be alone, not now".

"He's right".

"We'd be happy to have you".

"The more, the merrier don't you think?"

"Yeah, come join our team".

"No pressure do what you want".

"Those who join the path, find the law of order quick loyal".

"HAHA oh man I like that one!"

"Definitely among his better non sequiturs".

"Quit sulking and get on board".

"I agree, come with us".

"My wiener thinks you'll make a fine addition".

"EWW DON'T BE GROSS!"

"Is it wrong if what he said makes me happy?"

"A little bit, yeah".

"I've always admired that shining talent of yours, our team could use a guy like you".

"… Thank you, but I-I don't have the right to be a part of a team".

"Being our classmate's got nothing to do with your rights". Hajime felt Kazuichi's arm on his shoulder.

"No kidding dude, he's in the Reserve course".

"Hey".

"You want me to be… are you sure?" everyone just looked at Ryota and smiled. Is this really happening?

"Well come one, classmate". Ryota started to cry as he reached for the main computer, with five seconds remaining he shut down the upload. Everyone gathered around him as he cried. Twogami kneeled down to hug him, these were tears of joy, happiness… Hope.

After Ryota finished crying, they all headed back to the ship, wanted to return to their home. Jabberwock island. On the way back, they pasted Makoto Naegi. Hajime showed respect by his slightly bowing his head to him as they left.

"Uh… excuse me… Makoto Naegi". Mikan wanted to tell Makoto something, but before she could, Nagito pushed in front of her in order to talk to Makoto instead, causing her to fall over. Gundham, Kazuichi, Sonia and Ibuki ran after her.

"Wow, it's a real honour, forgive me sir but, we share the same good Luck. No wait that's not right, yours far outstretches mine. Though it's quite Lucky to have you as a colleague. Sorry upperclassman sir". That was all he could say before Akane and Nekomaru picked him up and carried him away. "Hopefully, we'll meet again!"  
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Everyone was back on the ship and were about to head home. "You look emaciated, are you eating enough?" Twogami now back to looking like Byakuya Togami, couldn't help but worry about Ryota's health. "There are only two certainties in this life".

"Yeah. Carbs and high fruitdose cornsyrup-"

"Less talk more stuff face!" Ibuki forced skewed meat into Ryota's mouth.

"AAAH! HOOTT!"

Hajime was at the front of the ship, alone. Looking out towards the ocean. "Hey, what are you doing here all alone? Party's just getting started". Akane was behind him, wondering what was going on inside his head. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just glad it's all over". He smiled at her, looking forward to what comes next.

"Me too, come join when you're ready, okay? Wouldn't be fun without you". She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek, both of them were blushing as they parted ways.

"Full disclosure? Sure, I don't see why not. That way, when you entered the Neo World program, a cutting edge A.I was created in order to keep an eye on everyone. Codename? Chiaki Nanami. First, complied memories of a steamed authority figure? The idea was to fuse those memories into a single personality we could all trust. Imagine the surprise when it turned out they didn't have to bother. One memory overoad the rest. It was the same for all of you. Strange? Yes, but undeniably sweet. There was one person you'd all give anything to see again. Of course, I'm not a perfect replica. But you know what they say, if someone lives in our memory, they're never truly gone". Chiaki's voice echoed in Hajime's ears, he know he was just imagining it all, but he didn't care. "What do you think? Is this the miracle worth believing in Hope for?"

"I don't know… it's a happy ending at least, so there's that".

"Let's chalk it down as a win… thank you, for not letting me die in vain. So, shall we? Nature calls, there's still a lot of work to be done". Hajime smiled as he knew what to expect, the world's problems aren't his to deal with, that's the Future Foundation's job. Jabberwock island… improvements could be made.

"Hajime, better move if you expect to be any food left".

"Haha I'm coming". Hajime joined the others as the ship officially began it's voyage home. Ryota let his phone drop into the water, the weight's finally been removed from his shoulders.

The group made sure to record a video of their own before leaving, making the world believe THEY were responsible for the killing game that just took place. They helped Makoto in more ways than one. Taking the blame, bringing Kyoko Kirigiri back from the brink of death and finally returning home. 'The world needs Despair', that's what their message explained, the world sees the seventy seventh class as monsters, but Makoto and his friends know the truth. They were heroes… no one can tell them otherwise.

THE END


End file.
